John2038's Research News

[georgep77]

On leave few days.

Keep Well.

John

Have fun John & thanks for the news !!!!

[John2038]

More News on Twitter http://twitter.com/HIVResearchNews

[Inchlingblue]

Wow, HIV research on Twitter@! Who knew?

Thanks, John.

[John2038]

Sharing couples of news in a single place.

aidsmap

Low quality of life associated with poorer survival for patients taking HIV treatment

Results were scored on a scale from zero to 100.
Mortality was related to health-related quality of life. Patients with scores in the lowest quartile had a mortality rate of 20%, compared to a rate of 13% for the second quartile, 8% for the third quartile and 4% for the highest quartile. These differences were significant (p < 0.001).

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Starting HIV treatment reduces risk of death from all causes; additional benefits if treatment started sooner

HIV-positive patients who take antiretroviral treatment reduce their mortality risk by 50%, an international team of investigators report in the January 2010 edition of AIDS. Especially substantial reductions in mortality risk were seen amongst those who started taking HIV treatment when their CD4 cell count was below 100 cells/mm3.

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New resistance becoming rarer as more patients achieve undetectable HIV viral load

There has been a drastic fall in the incidence of new cases of drug-resistant HIV amongst patients taking antiretroviral therapy in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

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US HIV travel ban has now ended

HIV-positive individuals can legally visit and migrate to the US from today.
President Obama announced the end of the ban at the end of October 2009, but there was a 60-day waiting period before this finally came into effect.

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Longer duration of infection with HIV linked with hardening of coronary arteries

Using CT scans, US investigators have found that young men with HIV are significantly more likely than their HIV-negative peers to have hardening of the arteries. In a study published in the on-line edition of AIDS the researchers also found that arterial disease was so severe in 7% of men with HIV that it was blocking blood flow. Longer duration of HIV infection was the most important risk factor for hardening of the coronary arteries.

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natap

Impact of Tenofovir on Renal Function in HIV-Infected, Antiretroviral-Naive Patients

The only statistically significant predictors of greater than 50% decline in GFR or as a continuous outcome measure were increased age, diabetes mellitus, inclusion of PI class in regimen, and lower CD4 counts at baseline.

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biospace

Gladstone Institute Scientists Identify Target That May Inhibit HIV Infectivity

Gladstone Institute -- Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) have discovered a new agent that might inhibit the infectivity of HIV. The agent, surfen, impairs the action of a factor in semen that greatly enhances the viral infection. Surfen might be used to supplement current HIV microbicides to greatly reduce HIV transmission during sexual contact.

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medscape

TMC278 Less Toxic Than Efavirenz in HIV Therapy

In antiretroviral-naive HIV patients, the next-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor TMC278 provides results comparable to those of efavirenz with fewer adverse events, researchers report in the January 2nd issue of AIDS.

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nih

Life expectancy after HIV diagnosis based on national HIV surveillance data from 25 states, United States

Average life expectancy after HIV diagnosis increased from 10.5 to 22.5 years from 1996 to 2005. Life expectancy (years) was better for females than for males but improved less for females (females: 12.6-23.6 and males: 9.9-22.0). In 2005, life expectancy for black males was shortest, followed by Hispanic males and then white males. AYLL for cases diagnosed in 2005 was 21.1 years (males: 19.1 and females: 22.7) compared with 32.9 years in 1996. CONCLUSIONS: Disparity in life expectancy for females and both black and Hispanic males, compared with males and white males, respectively, persists and should be addressed.

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aegis

South African Doctor Sees Drug-Resistant HIV

Ten years ago, drug-resistant HIV affected 1-5 percent of HIV/AIDS patients worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where few patients had access to antiretrovirals (ARVs) a decade ago, resistance rates have climbed to about 5 percent in the past few years. Since many physicians and clinics do not track resistance, the proportion could be even higher.

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eurekalert

HIV-related memory loss linked to Alzheimer's protein

More than half of HIV patients experience memory problems and other cognitive impairments as they age, and doctors know little about the underlying causes. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests HIV-related cognitive deficits share a common link with Alzheimer's-related dementia: low levels of the protein amyloid beta in the spinal fluid.

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A global breakthrough in the study of a protein linked to the spread of viruses

Montreal, January 5, 2010 – Professor Denis Archambault of the Department of Biological Sciences of Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), and doctoral student Andrea Corredor Gomez have made a major discovery in the field of molecular biology. They have unlocked some of the secrets of a viral protein, known as Rev, which is very different from other proteins of the same type studied to date. The results of their research were recently published in the prestigious Journal of Virology.

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HIV-infected postmenopausal women at high risk for bone fractures

With potent therapies comes longer life for HIV-infected individuals, but with longer life comes metabolic complications

Chevy Chase, MD— According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), postmenopausal HIV-infected women have a high prevalence of low bone mineral density and high bone turnover placing them at high risk for future bone fractures.

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lww

HIV and bone mineral density

Low BMD is prevalent in HIV-infected patients, with traditional risk factors, HIV infection and exposure to antiretroviral therapy all contributing. The role of specific antiretrovirals in the development of low BMD remains controversial, but most changes arise at either antiretroviral therapy initiation or switch.

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medicalnewstoday

Expert Panel Releases 2010 Adult Immunization Schedule, Stresses Importance of Vaccination

HPV, Influenza, Measles - mumps- rubella (MMR), Hepatitis A, Meningococcal , Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)

Note
Not specific to HIV, so need to be discussed with your ID Doc

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AP Series Examines Worldwide Impact Of Drug Resistance

The Associated Press reports on how the misuse of drugs worldwide has contributed to drug-resistant diseases in a series of articles following a six-month investigation by the news service.

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eatg

Head-to-head studies identify best treatment regimen for hepatitis C

The fact that both of these studies yielded similar and significant results confirms the potential advantages of PEG-IFN-2a plus RBV versus PEG-IFN-2b plus RBV.

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harthosp

Decreasing your diabetes risk after smoking

Smoking carries many health risks: the CDC states that smokers have an increased risk of developing lung cancer, coronary heart disease and respiratory disease, just to name a few. But HealthDay News reports that people who quit smoking have an increased risk of developing diabetes. In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers found that former smokers were diagnosed with diabetes 70 percent more than people who never smoked; the increase in weight was most likely the cause.

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newsnet5

Drug-Resistant Infections Lurk In Our Meat

More and more Americans -- many of them living far from barns and pastures -- are at risk from the widespread practice of feeding livestock antibiotics. These animals grow faster, but they can also develop drug-resistant infections that are passed on to people. The issue is now gaining attention because of interest from a new White House administration and a flurry of new research tying antibiotic use in animals to drug resistance in people.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 7, 2010

aidsmap

Women who start ART in pregnancy do just as well as non-pregnant women

The authors conclude “HIV-infected women in resource-limited countries who start ART during pregnancy have similar or better long-term CD4 cell count responses as compared with other adults. These data support efforts to provide pregnant HIV-infected women with access to ART in resource-limited countries.”

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Alternative treatments are commonly, but covertly, used alongside ARVs in London

Alternative treatments such as herbal remedies are commonly used by patients from southern Africa in London, but imbalanced power relationships discourage discussion of their use with clinicians, researchers report in the online edition of Social Science and Medicine.

The researchers note that there is a potential for interactions between the active ingredients in such treatments and antiretroviral medications. Moreover the treatments may lead to vomiting or diarrhoea, which can also affect levels of antiretrovirals in the body.

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sciencedaily

Study Links Vitamin D, Race and Cardiac Deaths

Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to a higher number of heart and stroke-related deaths among black Americans compared to whites, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study.

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eurekalert

Circumcision associated with significant changes in bacteria

Circumcision, which substantially lowers HIV risk in men, also dramatically changes the bacterial communities of the penis, according to a study led by scientists at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Johns Hopkins University and published Jan. 6 in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.

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worldpoliticsreview

End to HIV/AIDS Travel Bans Applauded

A Dutch man was the first person to take advantage of a change in U.S. policy removing travel restrictions for individuals with HIV/AIDS, after the ban was lifted Monday. Rights advocates and the United Nations applauded the move, as well as a similar one by South Korea, while calling for 57 other countries with various restrictions in place to follow suit.

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marketwatch

Gilead leads biotech stocks higher



Biotech stocks trended higher Wednesday as shares of Gilead Sciences gained on positive Phase II data for an HIV combination therapy that includes two new drug candidates.

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aegis

CANADA: Not All Gay Blood Donors Pose Same Risk, Court Told

Canadian Blood Services wrongly assumes that every man who has had sex, even once, with another man since 1977 presents the same HIV risk, an attorney argued yesterday in an Ottawa courtroom. CBS' "blanket ban" on blood donations by men who have sex with men also applies to MSM who practice safer sex and might pose a "negligible" risk, Patricia LeFebour said in closing arguments of a civil trial.

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SWITZERLAND: Antiretroviral Drugs Cut Suicide Rate in Swiss AIDS Patients, a Study Finds

A recent study led by an HIV expert at the University of Bern finds suicides among Swiss AIDS patients declined by more than 50 percent following the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996.
Dr. Olivia Keiser and her team analyzed data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and the Swiss National Cohort, a longitudinal study of mortality in Switzerland's general population. From 1988 to 2008, 15,275 patients were followed in the SHCS for a median duration of 4.7 years. Of these, 150 died by suicide (rate 158.4 per 100,000 person-years).

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medscape

Interruptions in Anti-HIV Therapy Carry High Risk of Thrombocytopenia

In HIV-infected patients, risk factors for thrombocytopenia include interruptions in antiretroviral therapy, high HIV RNA levels, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and cirrhosis, according to two papers in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes for December 15.
In the first paper, Dr. Marie-Anne Bouldouyre, from Hopital Saint Louis, Paris, and colleagues report that one in four patients who interrupted their highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) developed thrombocytopenia (<150,000 platelets/microliter) over the 96-week study period.

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Progestin-Only Contraception Worsens Metabolic Outcomes in Women With HIV

Progestin-only contraception worsens metabolic outcomes in women with HIV infection, according to a report in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes on December 15.

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Discontinuation of Enfuvirtide in Heavily Pretreated HIV-infected Individuals

A total of 151 patients were analyzed. The median baseline CD4 cell count was 108 cells/µL (interquartile range [IQR] 50–206) and HIV RNA was 4.7 log10 copies/mL (IQR 4.1–5.2). Virologic suppression, defined as a viral load below 50 copies/mL at 12 months, was achieved by 57.6% of patients. Overall, a median CD4 cell increase of 121 cells/µL (IQR 50–189) from baseline was noted. Up to 50% of patients discontinued enfuvirtide within the first year of treatment, mainly because of the patient's choice. After discontinuation of enfuvirtide, high rates of virologic failure and clinical progression were observed, notably when CD4 cell count at stopping enfuvirtide was below 100 cells/µL and no switch to new potent antiretroviral drugs such as darunavir, maraviroc, or raltegravir was performed.

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bmj

Which HIV-infected MSM in care are engaging in risky sex and acquiring sexually transmitted infections: Findings from a Boston community health center

The sample was predominantly Caucasian (74.6%) and college educated (51.7%). On average, participants were 41.5 (SD=8.4) years old and had been HIV-infected for 8.6 years (SD=6.7). Nine percent of the sample had an STI, with 6.4% testing positive for syphilis, 3.1% for gonorrhea, and 0.25% for Chlamydia. Age (OR=0.63, CI=0.44-0.91) and years since HIV-diagnosis (OR=0.66, CI=0.45-0. 97) were significantly associated with testing positive for an STI, as was engaging in TRB (OR=4.4, CI=1.88-10.36) and using methamphetamine (OR=3.37, CI=1.67-6.81), ketamine (OR: 4.48; CI: 1.83-11.00), and inhalants (OR: 2.60; CI: 1.28-5.30). Substance use, particularly methamphetamine use, and being more recently diagnosed with HIV were each uniquely associated with TRB in a multivariable model.

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jvi

A Single Amino Acid Substitution in HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Significantly Reduces Virion Release

The results demonstrate that a single amino acid substitution at HIV–1 RT can radically affect virus assembly by enhancing Gag cleavage efficiency, suggesting that in addition to contributing to RT biological function during the early stages of virus replication, the HIV–1 RT tryptophan repeat motif in a Gag–Pol context may play an important role in suppressing the premature activation of PR during late–stage virus replication.

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ijidonline

Human immunodeficiency virus-hepatitis C virus co-infection in pregnant women and perinatal transmission to infants in Thailand

Acquisition of HCV through intravenous drug use partially explains the higher rate of HCV infection in HIV–infected Thai women than in HIV–uninfected controls. Perinatal transmission occurred in 10% of infants of HIV–HCV–co–infected mothers and was associated with high maternal HCV RNA.

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biomedcentral

HIV-1 subtype and viral tropism determination for evaluating antiretroviral therapy options: an analysis of archived Kenyan blood samples

HIV–1 subtype A accounted for majority of the infections. Though perceived to be a high risk population, the prevalence of recombination in this sample was low with no dual infections detected. Genotypic co–receptor analysis showed that most patients harbored viruses that are predicted to use CCR5.

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eatg

Caffeine linked to reduced liver fibrosis

Those who consumed more than 308 mg of caffeine a day -- equal to about 2.25 cups of coffee -- were 75% less likely to have advanced fibrosis than those who consumed less.

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plos

Study Suggests Why Circumcised Men Less Likely To Become Infected With HIV

Pooling data from "three randomized-control trials in sub-Saharan Africa, where the circumcision rate is relatively low and the HIV infection rate is relatively high," the researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Johns Hopkins University found "for the first time that circumcision significantly changes the bacterial community of the penis," according to a TGen press release. The study concluded that: The anoxic microenvironment of the subpreputial space may support pro-inflammatory anaerobes that can activate Langerhans cells to present HIV to CD4 cells in draining lymph nodes. Thus, the reduction in putative anaerobic bacteria after circumcision may play a role in protection from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

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gazetteonline

HIV, AIDS cases increasing again in Iowa

The number of HIV diagnoses hit a record 126 in 2007 but then dropped to 107 in 2008. However, Jerry Harms of the state Department of Health said 70 HIV and 46 AIDS diagnoses were reported during the first half of 2009 – figures that both topped the averages for the previous five-year periods.
As of last June 30, there were 1,667 people – 1,314 males and 353 females — living in Iowa who had tested positive for HIV or AIDS, including 11 people under the age of 13. Health officials reported there were 26 HIV-infected deaths in Iowa in 2008

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medicalnewstoday

Medicare Begins To Reimburse For HIV Screening

Medicare is beginning a new federal policy that covers HIV screening for seniors. The Hartford Courant reports that "testing for the virus among those 65 and older lags far behind testing of other Americans, and experts say they worry that HIV cases in older adults go undiagnosed - some because of the stigma that the disease still carries, some because patients might dismiss the symptoms of the virus as signs of other conditions more frequently associated with aging and some because doctors can be hesitant to talk to older patients about sex or link their symptoms with HIV."

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ap

HIV-positive adults needed for vaccine study

Researchers at Saint Louis University are recruiting HIV-infected adults for a clinical trial of how the swine flu virus may affect them.
The researchers will also study the subjects' immune response to the H1N1 vaccine.
Saint Louis University is one of a half-dozen sites conducting the study. The entire project will enroll about 240 HIV-positive men and women ages of 18 to 64.
The university is among the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation units funded by the National Institutes of Health. Its researchers have also studied the effects of the swine flu vaccine on healthy adults, children and pregnant women.

Information on clinic trials: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov

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examiner

Antibiotic resistance: Living green can decrease the chances

Antibiotic resistance can be slowed by green living. Green living is more than protecting the external environment. Green is about reducing chemical usage, adopting habits of recycling and reuse, and exploring natural approaches to treating minor illness. In today’s society, people want fast results

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 8, 2010

jimmunol

Dynamics and Consequences of IL-21 Production in HIV-Infected Individuals: A Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Study

The results suggest that serum IL–21 concentrations may serve as a useful biomarker for monitoring HIV disease progression and the cytokine may be considered for immunotherapy in HIV–infected patients.

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springerlink

BNP in HIV-Infected Patients

The data demonstrate that BNP is suitable for the detection of cardiac disorders in HIV–infected subjects. Therefore, BNP could be an appropriate tool for a screening program for HIV–associated disorders in this patient population.

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medscape

HIV Suppression Rates Lower in US Blacks Than in Whites

HIV viral suppression is less likely in black Americans than in whites, even in a military setting where all patients have equal access to health care, new research shows.

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Longer Surgeries Mean More Infections, Longer Hospital Stays

The longer an operation, the greater the risk that a patient will have infectious complications and spend extra days in the hospital, according to a new study.

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whec

Better antiseptic curbs post-surgery infections

Looks like doctors aren’t the only ones who should scrub before surgery. Bathing patients with an antiseptic and squirting medicated ointment up their noses dramatically cut the rate of dangerous staph infections afterward, researchers found.

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bmj

Using mathematical modelling to estimate the impact of periodic presumptive treatment on the transmission of STIs and HIV amongst female sex workers

Despite the model's assumption of homogeneous risk behaviour probably resulting in optimistic projections, and uncertainty in STI cofactors and transmission probabilities, projections suggest PPT interventions with sufficient coverage and follow–up could noticeably decrease the HIV incidence amongst FSW populations with inadequate STI treatment.

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uchicago

Epidemiology of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a US Cohort of HIV-Infected Individuals during the Past 20 Years

Although the burden of HBV infection overall is slowly decreasing among HIV?infected individuals, the persistent rate of HBV infection after diagnosis of HIV infection raises concern that more–effective prevention strategies may be needed to significantly reduce the prevalence of HBV infection in this patient population.

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journalofclinicalvirology

Viro-immunological dynamics in HIV-1-infected subjects receiving once-a-week emtricitabine to delay treatment change after failure: A pilot randomised trial

Once–weekly emtricitabine led to a higher viral rebound than once–daily monotherapy, but similar immunological changes, thus suggesting a role of M184V in slowing the decrease in CD4% in treatment failing subjects.

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news-medical

Pharmaceutical companies working on nearly 100 life-changing medicines for HIV/AIDS

Medical News Today recently reported that America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working on nearly 100 life-changing medicines for diseases affecting people with HIV/AIDS, according to a new report released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

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aidsmap

DetecTB study shows intensified case finding can reduce burden of TB within community with high HIV prevalence

Going into communities to actively screen for tuberculosis (TB) can uncover a very large number of TB cases in settings with a high prevalence of HIV — and within a couple of years, reduces the community’s burden of TB, according to the DetecTB study conducted in Harare, Zimbabwe and presented as a late breaker at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health held in Cancún, Mexico in December.

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Household contact tracing reveals extensive community spread of MDR and XDR TB

Approximately half of adult household contacts of drug resistant TB cases had resistance profiles that differed from the index case of TB, according to a presentation given by Dr. Tony Moll at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cancún, Mexico.

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Circumcision may protect against HIV due to changes in bacteria

The reduction in HIV infection risk after circumcision may be the result of a decline in bacteria on the surface of the penis that assist the process of infection, according to findings from the research team that helped establish the evidence base for using male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy.

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sciencedaily

Rules Governing RNA's Anatomy Revealed

University of Michigan researchers have discovered the rules that dictate the three-dimensional shapes of RNA molecules, rules that are based not on complex chemical interactions but simply on geometry.
Manipulating RNA is a much sought-after goal, given the recent explosion in vital cellular roles ascribed to RNA and the growing number of diseases that are linked to RNA malfunction. RNA performs many of its roles by serving as a switch that changes shape in response to cellular signals, prompting appropriate reactions in response. The versatile molecule also is essential to retroviruses such as HIV, which have no DNA and instead rely on RNA to both transport and execute genetic instructions for everything the virus needs to invade and hijack its host.

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Increased Presence, Severity of Coronary Artery Plaques in HIV-Infected Men

A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) study has found that relatively young men with longstanding HIV infection and minimal cardiac risk factors had significantly more coronary atherosclerotic plaques -- some involving serious arterial blockage -- than did uninfected men with similar cardiovascular risk.

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ispub

Perception Of Clinicians Regarding Most Appropriate Antibiotic In Treatment Of Complicated Urinary Tract Infections

UTI is most common bacterial infection of human being. The emerging antimicrobialresistance in UTI is a major health problem of 21st century. The perception of cliniansthat ciprofloxacin is most appropriate and least resistant drug in complicated UTI iswrong.

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individual

GeoVax Labs names new vice president of R&D

GeoVax Labs, a biopharmaceutical company, has appointed Mark Newman as its new vice president of R&D.
In his new role, Dr Newman will be responsible for developing GeoVax's therapeutic HIV vaccine initiative and broadening the GeoVax pipeline. Prior to joining GeoVax, Dr Newman served as vice president of R&D at PaxVax.

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drugdiscoverynews

Biomagnetics to develop blood diagnostic device

Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., a developer of diagnostic systems and technology for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis and malaria detection, announced in December that it has acquired intellectual property rights from Los Alamos National Security for the development of an integrated optical biosensor capable of screening blood donors for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and tuberculosis.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 11, 2010

sciencedaily

New Ways to Pressure HIV

Two new studies showing that protein bits produced by unusual "reading" of the HIV genome can induce immune responses will appear online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine on Jan. 11. This finding suggested that mutations in these reading frames may have been caused by pressure from the hosts' immune systems.

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aidsmap

Cardiovascular risks common amongst young US women with HIV

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are common amongst young, HIV-positive women in the US, investigators report in the January 1st edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.
“More than one-third…reported a family history of heart disease or of type 2 diabetes, more than one third smoked cigarettes, and fewer than one-third exercised regularly”, comment the investigators.

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hivandhepatitis

Antiretroviral Therapy Reduces Overall Mortality, but Effects Differ According to HIV Risk Group

Andrew Phillips and more than 1000 co-investigators with the international HIV-CAUSAL Collaboration sought to estimate the effect of combination ART on mortality among HIV positive individuals, after adjusting for potentially confounding time-varying factors.

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wiley

Yoga lifestyle intervention reduces blood pressure in HIV-infected adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors

Among traditional lifestyle modifications, yoga is a low–cost, simple to administer, nonpharmacological, popular behavioural intervention that can lower blood pressure in pre–hypertensive HIV–infected adults with mild–moderate CVD risk factors.

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Is long-term virological response related to CCR5 (delta)32 deletion in HIV-1-infected patients started on highly active antiretroviral therapy

The (delta)32 deletion in (delta)32/wt patients is associated with a beneficial virological response to cART in the long term. Whether this association is a direct effect of the (delta)32 deletion remains unclear and requires confirmation in further observational studies.

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Opportunistic infections and organ-specific diseases in HIV-1-infected children: a cohort study (1990–2006)

This study provides evidence of improved clinical outcomes in HIV–infected children over time and shows that mortality, AIDS, opportunistic infections and organ–specific diseases declined as HAART was progressively instituted in this population.

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jimmunol

A High-Affinity Inhibitor of Human CD59 Enhances Complement-Mediated Virolysis of HIV-1: Implications for Treatment of HIV-1/AIDS

The authors demonstrated that rILYd4 together with serum or plasma from HIV–1–infected patients as a source of anti–HIV–1 Abs and complement did not mediate complement–mediated lysis of either erythrocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results indicate that rILYd4 may represent a novel therapeutic agent against HIV–1/AIDS.

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Distribution, Persistence, and Efficacy of Adoptively Transferred Central and Effector Memory-Derived Autologous Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Clones in Rhesus Macaques during Acute Infection

These studies establish methods for adoptive transfer of autologous SIV–specific CD8+ T cells for evaluating immune control during acute infection and demonstrate that infused cells retain function and persist for at least 2 mo in specific tissues.

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Inhibitory TCR Coreceptor PD-1 Is a Sensitive Indicator of Low-Level Replication of SIV and HIV-1

These results demonstrate that PD–1 can serve as a sensitive indicator of persistent, low–level virus replication and that generalized PD–1 expression on T lymphocytes is a distinguishing characteristic of uncontrolled lentiviral infections.

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Trafficking, Persistence, and Activation State of Adoptively Transferred Allogeneic and Autologous Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Clones during Acute and Chronic Infection of Rhesus Macaques

This suggests that expression of such markers by T cells at mucosal sites may not reflect recent activation, but may instead identify stable resident memory T cells. The lack of impact following transfer of such a large number of functional Ag–specific CD8+ T cells on SIV replication may reflect the magnitude of the immune response required to contain the virus.

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thelancet

Routine versus clinically driven laboratory monitoring of HIV antiretroviral therapy in Africa (DART): a randomised non-inferiority trial

ART can be delivered safely without routine laboratory monitoring for toxic effects, but differences in disease progression suggest a role for monitoring of CD4–cell count from the second year of ART to guide the switch to second–line treatment.

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bmj

Prevalence, incidence and risk factors for hepatitis C in homosexual men: Data from two cohorts of HIV negative and HIV positive men in Sydney, Australia

HCV prevalence was almost ten times higher in HIV positive homosexual men. Although incident HCV infection was uncommon in both cohorts, cases of non–IDU related transmission did occur, possibly linked to sexual contact with HIV positive men.

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Assessment of attitudes and practices of providers of services for individuals at high risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections in Karnataka, South India

Following physician training, quality of care appears to be generally acceptable, but it is important to further improve the attitudes of providers towards sex work, and improve practices such as speculum examination and partner referral that can enhance quality of care.

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Prevalence, incidence and risk factors for pharyngeal gonorrhoea in a community-based HIV-negative cohort of homosexual men in Sydney, Australia

The majority of pharyngeal gonorrhoea occurred without evidence of concurrent anogenital infection and the high incidence–to–prevalence ratio suggests frequent spontaneous resolution of NAAT–detected infection. The association of pharyngeal gonorrhoea with oro–anal sex indicates a broader range of sexual practices are likely to be involved in transmission of gonorrhoea to the pharynx than previously acknowledged. Screening the pharynx of sexually active homosexual men could play a role in reducing the prevalence of anogenital Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

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drugdiscoverynews

NIH researchers discover DNA sequences related to lung function

Treating disease needs to be about tracking down root causes more than just treating symptoms as was the case for so much of medical history, and researchers with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have made a solid step along that path with a new study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals that has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function and that shine a light on genetic links to lung disease risk.   

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finanznachrichten

Inhibitex Provides Update on Its Staph Vaccine, FV-100 and INX-189 Development Programs

Inhibitex, Inc. (Nasdaq: INHX) today announced that its collaborator, Pfizer, Inc., has initiated patient recruitment for 408-patient, randomized, double-blind Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of three ascending dose levels of a 3-antigen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) vaccine (SA3Ag) in healthy adults. The SA3Ag vaccine contains an antigen originating from the Company's MSCRAMM® protein platform. The Company licensed its MSCRAMM® protein platform to Wyeth (acquired by Pfizer in 2009) on an exclusive worldwide basis for the development of active vaccines against staphylococcus in 2001.

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radionz

Double killer dies in Wanganui prison

Glenn Mills, an HIV positive man accused of deliberately infecting people with the disease was found dead at the Auckland Remand Centre at Mt Eden Prison in November.
A notorious sex offender, Taffy Hotene, was also found dead in Wanganui prison in November.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 12, 2010

aidsmap

Thrombocytopenia associated with treatment interruptions: HIV replication a cause

A quarter of patients interrupting antiretroviral therapy developed thrombocytopenia, French investigators report in the December 15th edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
Treatment interruptions should be “strictly forbidden” for patients with low platelet counts and a history of thrombocytopenia, recommend the investigators. They conclude, “thrombocytopenia…is another limitation of intermittent treatment, which should be avoided as much as possible.”

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Detectable viral load, hepatitis C and cirrhosis risk factors for thrombocytopenia for patients with HIV

HIV viral load, co-infection with hepatitis C virus, and cirrhosis are all linked to thrombocytopenia in patients with HIV, US investigators report in the December 15th 2009 edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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sciencedaily


Researchers Trace HIV Mutations That Lead to Drug Resistance


Computers and a statistical screen allowed Wei Wang to trace
mutations in HIV that lead to drug resistance. (Credit: UC San Diego)

Chemists at UC San Diego and statisticians at Harvard University have developed a novel way to trace mutations in HIV that lead to drug resistance. Their findings, once expanded to the full range of drugs available to treat the infection, would allow doctors to tailor drug cocktails to the particular strains of the virus found in individual patients.

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natap

Investigational HIV agents for salvage

It is now possible for the majority of patients who are highly experienced in terms of drug treatment and who have virological failure to achieve HIV-1 viral loads below the limit of detection. There are, however, some patients who continue to have virological failure and develop further resistance and these patients need therapy that is effective; new drugs are being developed to meet this need.

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eatg

Vertex to ask for telaprevir OK later in 2010

Telaprevir is one of several potential hepatitis C treatments in development. If approved, it could face competition from Schering-Plough Corp.'s experimental hepatitis C drug boceprevir.

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Idenix Pharmaceuticals highlights progress in three HCV programs

Interim analysis of 50 mg cohort demonstrates potent HCV antiviral activity at 14 days for IDX184 in combination with PegIFN/Ribavirin; IDX375 exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic properties in a Phase I healthy volunteer study; Clinical Trial Application filed in December 2009 for IDX320.

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Achillion announces additional positive Phase 1b data with ACH-1625 to treat hepatitis C

Second dosing cohort achieves 4.25log10 viral load reduction with continued safety and tolerability.

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US govt study probes “extraordinary” Rx price rises

Limited competition and a lack of therapeutically-equivalent drugs may be contributing to “extraordinary price rises” for branded medicines, a US government report claimed yesterday.

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AHF to host protest targeting Merck over the steep price for its key HIV/AIDS drug, Isentress

“Now that it has been approved for first-line treatment, there is no justification for Merck to price Isentress three times higher than other first-line AIDS drugs. It is pure greed.”

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jimmunol

Neuroprotective Activities of CEP-1347 in Models of NeuroAIDS

Dendritic integrity and neuronal loss were sustained and prevented, respectively. These results demonstrate that CEP–1347 elicits anti–inflammatory and neuroprotective responses in an HIVE model of human disease and as such warrants further study as an adjunctive therapy for human disease.

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futuremedicine

Randomized, controlled trials for HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa: learning from unexpected results

The history of RCTs for AIDS prevention in Africa has been highlighted by unexpected results. RCTs have almost exclusively focused on sexual transmission, a framework that may be a leading culprit behind unexpected and disappointing outcomes.

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Establishment and maintenance of HIV latency: model systems and opportunities for intervention

HAART has succeeded in reducing morbidity and mortality rates in patients infected with HIV. However, a small amount of replication–competent HIV can persist during HAART, allowing the virus to re–emerge if therapy is ceased. The therapeutic approaches for eliminating latent cells that have been attempted are also discussed, including how improvements in understanding of these persistent HIV reservoirs are being used to develop enhanced methods for their depletion.

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bmj

Prevalence of unsafe sex with one's steady partner either HIV-negative or of unknown HIV status and associated determinants in Cameroon

The prevalence of unsafe sex remains high among sexually active PLWHA in Cameroon. Treatment with ART is identified as a factor associated with safer sex, which further encourages the continuation of the national policy for increasing access to HIV treatment and care, and underlines the need to develop counseling strategies for all patients.

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Comparison of Focus HerpesSelect and KalonTM HSV-2 gG2 ELISA serological assays to detect herpes simplex virus type 2 antibodies in a South African population

Newer HSV–2 serological tests have low specificity in this South African population with high HIV–1 prevalence. Two–step testing strategies could provide rational testing alternatives to WB.

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annfammed

Safety and Efficacy of Nontherapeutic Male Circumcision: A Systematic Review

Strong evidence suggests circumcision can prevent human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome acquisition in sub–Saharan African men. These findings remain uncertain in men residing in other countries. The role of adult nontherapeutic male circumcision in preventing sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections, and penile cancer remains unclear. Current evidence fails to recommend widespread neonatal circumcision for these purposes.

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lww

The Effect of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Breastfeeding on the Nutritional Status of African Children

This study shows the impact of infant HIV infection on growth and supports the critical importance of breast–feeding. Mother–to–child transmission of HIV programs should endeavor to preserve breast–feeding and find alternative measures to prevent postnatal HIV transmission.

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journalofclinicalvirology

Acute hepatitis B virus infection with simultaneous high HBsAg and high anti-HBs signals in a previously HBV vaccinated HIV-1 positive patient

The authors present a case of a clinical manifest hepatitis B virus infection and a potentially misleading HBV serological profile in an HIV–1 positive patient despite previous HBV vaccination. The patient presented with an acute hepatitis B and there was no indication of chronic HBV infection or the presence of a mutation in the ‘a’ determinant. Remarkably, simultaneously with high HBV surface antigen and HBV viral load, high anti–HBs antibodies were present. If, due to previous HBV vaccination only anti–HBs was tested in this patient, the result of the high anti–H

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medscape

Hot Topics in HIV and Hepatitis Coinfection: Noninvasive Diagnosis of Liver Disease, Liver Transplantation, and New Drugs for Treatment of Hepatitis Coinfection

Although liver biopsy still remains the globally accepted gold standard for assessing liver disease, the more recent introduction of noninvasive markers in form of blood tests as well as transient elastography have led to the development of new algorithms for assessing liver disease in HIV and hepatitis coinfected individuals.

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smartbrief

Trimeris Receives Delisting Notice From NASDAQ

Trimeris, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMS) (“Trimeris” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the commercialization of therapeutic agents for the treatment of HIV, today announced that it has received a NASDAQ Staff determination letter dated January 5, 2010, notifying the Company that its common stock is subject to delisting due to the Company’s failure to hold its required annual meeting for fiscal year 2009.

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plosone

Prevalence and Predictors of Colposcopic-Histopathologically Confirmed Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia in HIV-Infected Women in India

HIV-infected women in Pune, India have a substantial burden of cervical precancerous lesions, which may progress to invasive cervical cancer unless appropriately detected and treated. Increased attention should focus on recognizing and addressing this entirely preventable cancer among HIV-infected women, especially in the context of increasing longevity due to antiretroviral therapy.

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smh

Highly qualified doctor who ravaged South Africa's health services

Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was South Africa's most notorious cabinet minister since the apartheid era. ''A drunkard and a thief,'' was how the Johannesburg Sunday Times described the former minister of health in 2007. The headline hardly did her justice: the theft was a wristwatch taken from the arm of a comatose patient; the drunkenness was in anticipation of a transplant.

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medicalnewstoday

News From The Annals Of Family Medicine, January/February 2010

Low Levels of Vitamin D Increase Risk of Heart Disease and Death and May Account for Higher Cardiovascular Risk Among Blacks

Full Text

[John2038]

NEWS - January 13, 2010

aidsmap

Asian gay men’s sex survey reports high levels of sex without condoms

The world’s second-largest gay men’s sex survey, focusing mainly on men in East and Southeast Asia, has found that 46% of men who have sex with men who answered the online survey reported inconsistent condom use during anal intercourse with casual partners, and higher levels of unprotected sex with regular partners.

Full Text

Pulmonary arterial hypertension still a risk in patients with HIV

A low CD4 cell count is associated with a poor prognosis for HIV-positive patients diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, French investigators report in the January edition of AIDS. The study also showed that the condition developed in patients taking antiretroviral therapy, which did not, by itself, provide an effective treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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natap

The association between symptomatic, severe hypoglycaemia and mortality in type diabetes: retrospective epidemiological analysis of the ACCORD study - BMJ Jan 2010

Symptomatic, severe hypoglycaemia was associated with an increased risk of death within each study arm. However, among participants who experienced at least one episode of hypoglycaemia, the risk of death was lower in such participants in the intensive arm than in the standard arm. Symptomatic, severe hypoglycaemia does not appear to account for the difference in mortality between the two study arms up to the time when the ACCORD intensive glycaemia arm was discontinued.

Full Text

Update on HIV Eradication - Report from the 4th HIV Persistence Intl Wksp

Several mechanisms that might contribute to the establishment and maintenance of latent proviral infection have been described, yet it seems most likely that several populations of cells that are persistently infected will require unique therapeutic approaches.
Developing the ability to eradicate established HIV infection requires a prolonged scientific commitment, further discoveries in the basic mechanisms of HIV persistence, the development of new model systems to test therapeutic approaches, and careful but innovative translational studies. Hopefully these will continue to emerge when the Persistence Workshop reconvenes in 2011.

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nytimes

New Jersey To Legalize Medical Marijuana

The New York Times: "The New Jersey Legislature approved a measure on Monday that would make the state the 14th in the nation, but one of the few on the East Coast, to legalize the use of marijuana to help patients with chronic illnesses. The measure - which would allow patients diagnosed with severe illnesses like cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's disease, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis to have access to marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries - was passed by the General Assembly and State Senate on the final day of the legislative session"

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mysinchew

Progress On MDG Targets Is 'Key Priority' In 2010 For U.N. Secretary-General

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Monday he would make the drive to achieve key poverty-reduction goals around the world by 2015 one of his key priorities this year.
The targets include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS and other disease, ensuring environmental sustainability and creating a global partnership for development.

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biomedcentral

Modelling imperfect adherence to HIV induction therapy

Induction therapy with partial adherence is tolerable, but the outcome depends on the drug cocktail. The theoretical predictions are in line with recent results from pilot studies of short–cycle treatment interruption strategies and may be useful in guiding the design of future clinical trials.

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wiley

Mid-dosing interval concentration of atazanavir and virological outcome in patients treated for HIV-1 infection

The authors identified a C12 h efficacy threshold that predicted virological response; this could be useful for morning TDM in selected subjects receiving ATV in the evening. Results must be interpreted with caution given the retrospective design of the study.

Full Text

Introduction of pharmacogenetic screening for the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) B*5701 variant in Polish HIV-infected patients

The HLA B*5701 variant was found in 11 of 234 subjects. Testing with the selected method proved quick and reliable.

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jimmunol

AIDS Progression Is Associated with the Emergence of IL-17–Producing Cells Early After Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

The results demonstrate that IL–17–producing NKT are associated with the pathogenesis of SIV in RMs and suggest that TGF–[beta] and IL–18 play a role in their development.

Full Text

lancet

Switch to a raltegravir-based regimen versus continuation of a lopinavir-ritonavir-based regimen in stable HIV-infected patients with suppressed viraemia (SWITCHMRK 1 and 2): two multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trials

Although switching to raltegravir was associated with greater reductions in serum lipid concentrations than was continuation of lopinavir–ritonavir, efficacy results did not establish non–inferiority of raltegravir to lopinavir–ritonavir.

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plos

The Effect of Human Immunodeficiency Virus on Hepatitis B Virus Serologic Status in Co-Infected Adults

Clinical indicators of immunologic status in HIV-infected individuals, such as CD4 cell count, are associated with HBV serologic outcome. These data suggest that immunologic preservation through the increased use of HAART to improve functional anti-HBV immunity, whether by improved access to care or earlier initiation of therapy, would likely improve HBV infection outcomes in HIV-infected individuals.

Full Text

Common Genetic Variants and Risk for HPV Persistence and Progression to Cervical Cancer

We examined host genetic factors hypothesized to play a role in determining which subset of individuals infected with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) have persistent infection and further develop cervical pre-cancer/cancer compared to the majority of infected individuals who will clear infection.

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aegis

AUSTRALIA: Chlamydia Infections at All-Time High in Australia

Australia's National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System reports that 61,172 chlamydia notifications were filed in 2009. By comparison, 16,960 cases were reported in 2000. "Regardless of whether this is a result of better screening processes or unsafe sex practices, the one thing that is a certainty is that chlamydia is out there, and those that don't use condoms are at risk," said Jill Michelson, national clinical adviser for Marie Stopes International.

Full Text


yahoo

China announces 'first gay marriage'

State press splashed a front-page photo of China's first publicly "married" gay couple on Wednesday - the latest sign of new openness about homosexuality in a country where it has long been taboo.

Full Text


biospectrumasia

Quest for HIV vaccine

Status of Development..

Full Text

[John2038]

NEWS - January 14, 2010

sciencedaily

Biologists wake dormant viruses and uncover mechanism for survival



It is known that viral "squatters" comprise nearly half of our genetic code. These genomic invaders inserted their DNA into our own millions of years ago when they infected our ancestors. But just how we keep them quiet and prevent them from attack was more of a mystery until EPFL researchers revived them.

Full Text EPFL article Video

Key Mechanism for the Proliferation of Epstein-Barr Virus Discovered

Scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München have elucidated a crucial mechanism in the lytic cycle of Epstein-Barr virus. A team of researchers led by Professor Wolfgang Hammerschmidt identified the function of a protein which plays a critical role in the proliferation of the virus. The Epstein-Barr virus can induce cancer.

Full Text

Report Recommends Steps to Tackle Hepatitis B and C

Stepped-up vaccination requirements, a boost in resources for prevention and treatment, and a public awareness campaign similar to the effort that dispelled the stigma of HIV/AIDS are needed to curb the health threats posed by hepatitis B and hepatitis C, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

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natap

GS-9148 Nucleotide Active Against Resistance

GS-9148 retained its activity against viruses with four or more TAMs, including combinations containing the M41L and L210W mutations....Viruses carrying the K65R, K70E, L74V, or M184V mutation, as well as various combinations thereof, were fully susceptible or slightly hypersensitive to GS-9148.....GS-9148 showed a minimal loss of activity against a multidrug-resistant virus containing TAMs in combination with M184V and an insertion at T69 suggesting a less effective renal transport and possibly a lower potential for nephrotoxicity than that of acyclic nucleotide analogs. Finally, quantitative studies confirmed that despite increased cellular permeation, GS-9131 at concentrations of up to 50 µM did not cause any selective depletion of mtDNA in HepG2 cells (data not shown), an observation consistent with the low potential of GS-9148 to interfere with the replication of mtDNA.

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medscape

Several Antiretroviral Drugs Linked to Myocardial Infarction

The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) abacavir and didanosine, and the protease inhibitors (PIs) indinavir and lopinavir-ritonavir, all increase the risk of myocardial infarction (MI).

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ajcn

Plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids and liver enzymes in HIV-infected subjects

The adverse relations between omega–6 PUFA intake and liver enzymes that were previously shown could not be confirmed in this study. In contrast, plasma omega–6 PUFA concentration was inversely related to liver enzymes in both HIV–infected and HIV–uninfected subjects. Subjects in this study did not use abused fats, which could partly explain these findings.

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lww

Pneumocystis Pneumonia in South African Children With and Without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

PCP is a common cause of hypoxic pneumonia and mortality in HIV–infected South African infants. Underuse of the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission program and failure to institute trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis in HIV–exposed children identified through the program are important obstacles to reducing PCP incidence.

Full Text


wiley

Perturbation of the natural killer cell compartment during primary human immunodeficiency virus 1 infection primarily involving the CD56bright subset

The results indicate a marked perturbation of the NK cell compartment during HIV–1 infection that is multifaceted, starts early and is progressive, primarily involves the CD56bright subset, and is partially corrected by effective HAART.

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ama-assn

Detecting Acute Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Using 3 Different Screening Immunoassays and Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus RNA, 2006-2008

Pooled NAAT after third–generation testing increases HIV case detection, especially in venues of high HIV seropositivity. Therefore, targeted AHI screening using pooled NAAT after third–generation testing may be most effective, warranting a cost–benefit analysis.

Full Text

Treatment Modification in Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Individuals Starting Combination Antiretroviral Therapy Between 2005 and 2008

Drug toxicity remains a frequent reason for treatment modification; however, it does not affect treatment success. Close monitoring and management of adverse effects and drug–drug interactions are crucial for the durability of CART.

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sagepub

Treatment of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in intravenous drug users co-infected with HIV

2RZ should be considered an option to prevent TB in selected groups of patients infected with HIV, such as injection drug users on methadone treatment.

Full Text


yahoo

The Tech-Aid Institute Releases HIV/AIDS Prevention Software for Women with Intellectual Disabilities

The Tech-Aid Institute, the award-winning software group gaining national recognition for its unprecedented work, has released another interactive CD-ROM for people with intellectual disabilities:  Live Safe™: Preventing HIV/AIDS for Women with Intellectual Disabilities.

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medicalnewstoday

BD Biosciences Collaborates With ReaMetrix To Develop New, Affordable CD4 Testing Products To Help Fight HIV/AIDS In Developing Countries

BD Biosciences, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announced today a new strategic collaboration with ReaMetrix, a private biotechnology company based in Bangalore, India, to develop dried reagents for its BD FACSCount™ Flow Cytometry System, which is used throughout Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America for CD4 monitoring of HIV/AIDS patients. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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eatg

Merck provides accurate information about the pricing of ISENTRESS®

The price of ISENTRESS was determined after consultation with respected leaders in the HIV community, and in line with Merck's long-standing commitment to ensure access to our medicines.

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Experimental CCR5 antagonist vicriviroc appears safe and well tolerated in HIV/HCV coinfected patients

Vicriviroc did not affect hepatitis C virus levels, but it also did not lower HIV viral load as intended.

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Men exposed to HIV via oral sex have HIV neutralizing antibody levels corresponding to partner's viral load

Neutralization was associated with previous measured highest viral load in the HIV positive partner, as well as time elapsed since the peak viral load. Neutralization also persisted over time in spite of a continuous low viral exposure.

Full Text

Anal Pap smears about as effective as cervical cancer screening

However, anal Paps are not as effective at finding precancerous cells as an expert visual examination of the anus and rectum through a scope.

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EU to scrutinise generic drug patent settlements

Patent settlements between pharmaceutical companies are set for European Commission scrutiny over concerns that some of the deals could deny EU consumers broader choice and lower-priced medicines.

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examiner

Congress considers a new way to pay for healthcare reform by taxing investment income

The new plan proposes to apply Medicare payroll taxes not just to income but also to investment income.

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nih

Association of C-reactive protein with mild cognitive impairment

Among 313 subjects with MCI and 1570 cognitively normal subjects, a CRP level in the upper quartile (>3.3 mg/L) was significantly associated with MCI (odds ratio [OR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-2.01) and with nonamnestic MCI (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.12-3.78) after adjusting for age, sex, and years of education. However, there was no association with amnestic MCI (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.81-1.82). No association was observed with the other inflammatory markers. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma CRP is associated with prevalent MCI and with nonamnestic MCI in elderly, nondemented persons in a population-based setting. These findings suggest the involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of MCI.

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the-scientist

Haitian AIDS clinic still standing

The HIV/AIDS clinic in the center of the area of Port-au-Prince hardest hit by yesterday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake is badly damaged but still standing, and most of the center's staff is apparently alive, according to the clinic's director Jean Pape.

Full Text

Key Mechanism for the Proliferation of Epstein-Barr Virus Discovered

Scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München have elucidated a crucial mechanism in the lytic cycle of Epstein-Barr virus. A team of researchers led by Professor Wolfgang Hammerschmidt identified the function of a protein which plays a critical role in the proliferation of the virus. The Epstein-Barr virus can induce cancer.

Full Text


EDIT
Added Epstein Virus

[skeebo1969]

   I just read this thread, word for word, start to finish..  It's so good to have you back Johnny!

[John2038]

Thanks skeebo1969 !

[John2038]

NEWS - January 15, 2010

ucdavis

UC Davis study suggests that excess folic acid may pose health risks for the elderly

A new UC Davis study found that elevated levels of folic acid may aggravate metabolic complications associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency — a serious health concern that can lead to anemia and neurological damage. The results, which were published in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that it is wise to avoid taking folic-acid supplements unless specifically advised by a physician.
"We do have to worry about folic-acid supplementation. The fact is that a lot of people are getting more of it than is good for them."

Warning
Not specific to HIV+. Please consult your health care provider for better information.

Full Text


sciencedaily

Benefits of Calcium and Vitamin D in Preventing Fractures Confirmed

Taking both calcium and vitamin D supplements on a daily basis reduces the risk of bone fractures, regardless of whether a person is young or old, male or female, or has had fractures in the past, a large study of nearly 70,000 patients from throughout the United States and Europe has found.

Warning
Not specific to HIV+. Please consult your health care provider for better information.

Full Text


newscientist

Drug-resistant HIV set for rapid upsurge

Drug-resistant strains of HIV have already been documented in San Francisco and elsewhere in the US, and Europe. Now a model of their transmission, based on studies of gay San Francisco men, forecasts a rapid upsurge in the next five years.

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Exercise Associated With Preventing, Improving Mild Cognitive Impairment

Moderate physical activity performed in midlife or later appears to be associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment, whereas a six-month high-intensity aerobic exercise program may improve cognitive function in individuals who already have the condition, according to two reports in the January issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Full Text


Excess Protein in Urine Is Indicator of Heart Disease Risk in Whites, but Not Blacks, Study Suggests

The cardiovascular risk that is associated with proteinuria, or high levels of protein in the urine, a common test used by doctors as an indicator of increased risk for progressive kidney disease, heart attack and stroke, has race-dependent effects, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Warning
Not specific to HIV+. Please consult your health care provider for better information.

Full Text

How Calorie-Restricted Diets Fight Obesity and Extend Life Span

Scientists searching for the secrets of how calorie-restricted diets increase longevity are reporting discovery of proteins in the fat cells of human volunteers that change as pounds drop off. The proteins could become markers for monitoring or boosting the effectiveness of calorie-restricted diets -- the only scientifically proven way of extending life span in animals.

Warning
Not specific to HIV+. Please consult your health care provider for better information.

Full Text


eatg

Accelerated ageing of the brain found in some HIV-positive people

The preliminary findings suggest that the brains of some HIV-positive people appear to be prematurely aged to a considerable degree.

Full Text

A novel and simple formula to predict treatment success in chronic hepatitis C

The likelihood of treatment success of 48 wk peg-interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) therapy for chronic hepatitis C may be predicted by viral kinetics on therapy.

Full Text

The IAS 2009 Evaluation Report is now available for download.

Download from here.

Source


nature

CD31 (PECAM-1) is a marker of recent thymic emigrants among CD4+ T-cells, but not CD8+ T-cells or [gamma][delta] T-cells, in HIV patients responding to ART

Some severely immunodeficient HIV patients experience poor recovery of CD4+ T-cell counts on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Evaluation of the function of thymopoiesis in T-cell production in individual patients requires a simple marker of T-cells that have recently emigrated from the thymus. Here, we address whether expression of CD31 on CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, regulatory T-cells and ?d T-cells correlates with other indicators of thymus function.
The data support the use of CD31 as a marker of recent thymic origin in CD4+ T–cells, but not CD8+ T–cells in HIV patients receiving ART. In such patients, CD31 expression is unlikely to indicate thymic origin in [gamma][delta] T–cells.

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uchicago

Therapy Failure following Selection of Enfuvirtide-Resistant HIV-1 in Cerebrospinal Fluid

The authors report the selection of enfuvirtide-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in cerebrospinal fluid, resulting in subsequent loss of viral suppression in the plasma. This case report emphasizes the potential danger of low-level penetration of entry inhibitors into the central nervous system.

Full Text

Fungal Infections in Leukemia Patients: How Do We Prevent and Treat Them

CT-guided treatment decisions are more complex in patients with advanced leukemia, however, because of concomitant infection or relapsing malignancy. Similarly, posaconazole is often not a viable prophylaxis or treatment option in patients with poor oral intake, gastrointestinal dysfunction, or possible drug interaction. As a result, the management of IFI in patients with leukemia demands an individualized treatment plan.

Full Text


sciencedirect

Glove use and the HIV positive massage therapy client

Massage therapy is often used to treat stress, and other symptoms of HIV/AIDS. Massage therapy standards of practice require the use of gloves only when contact with blood and bodily fluids is expected. Health care professionals often mistrust universal precautions and use gloves when their use is not indicated, especially when dealing with HIV positive clients. This case report explored the effects of un–indicated glove use on stress levels, satisfaction with treatment, perception of the therapist, and perceived stigma during a massage therapy treatment. In this case, gloved treatments were only 80% as effective at reducing stress as ungloved treatments. No difference was found in sense of stigma, perception of the therapist, or overall satisfaction in ungloved compared to gloved treatments. Suggestions for future considerations and additional research are made.

Full Text


asm

Tiered Categorization of a Diverse Panel of HIV-1 Env Pseudoviruses for Assessment of Neutralizing Antibodies

The data provide the first systematic assessment of the overall neutralization sensitivities of a genetically and geographically diverse panel of circulating HIV–1 strains. These reference viruses can facilitate the systematic characterization of NAb responses elicited by candidate vaccine immunogens.

Full Text


uchicago

Elevations in Mortality Associated with Weaning Persist into the Second Year of Life among Uninfected Children Born to HIV-Infected Mothers

Shortening the normal duration of breast-feeding for uninfected children born to HIV–infected mothers living in low-resource settings is associated with significant increases in mortality extending into the second year of life. Intensive nutritional and counseling interventions reduce but do not eliminate this excess mortality.

Full Text

HIV Infection and Aging Independently Affect Brain Function as Measured by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Frailty parallels between HIV infection and aging could result from continued immunological challenges depleting resources and triggering increased metabolic demands. In the future, fMRI could be a noninvasive biomarker to assess HIV infection in the brain.

Full Text


journalofinfection

Circulating antibodies to endogenous erythropoietin and risk for HIV-1-related anemia

Anti–EPO are an independent risk factor for anemia in HIV–1–infected patients. HAART seems to reduce both anti–EPO and anemia prevalence.

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springerlink

Renal disease in AIDS: it is not always HIVAN

The authors describe two cases of patients with acquired immune–deficiency syndrome (AIDS) who presented with rapidly progressive renal failure but were found to have reversible etiologies. The first case was found to have syphilis and the second, disseminated histoplasmosis; their renal injury resolved after initiation of a third–generation cephalosporin antibiotic and amphotericin B, respectively.

Full Text


examiner

Woman claims to have infected 500 people with HIV

Authorities are trying to determine whether a woman who claims in an online video that she intentionally infected more than 500 people in suburban Detroit with HIV is real or a hoax.
The unidentified woman says in a nearly 11-minute video posted on mediatakeout.com that since contracting HIV in 1998, she has been "pretty upset" about having to "suffer," and has "set out to "destroy the world" because a cure for the virus that causes AIDS has not been found.
Deputy Police Chief James Tolbert tells The Detroit News that tipsters have told police that the woman lives in Detroit. Police are seeking possible victims.
Fred Mwangaguhunga, the Web site's editor, says the videotape was received electronically on Wednesday.

Source


pr-inside

Mutant HIV Strains Pose Serious Threat to Poor Nations

Mutant strains of HIV, while being treated in western countries, pose a serious risk to poor nations, threatening to undermine the progress that has been made against HIV in those nations.

Full Text


dailytelegraph

Aboriginal health is the worst in the world

AUSTRALIA'S Aborigines have the worst life expectancy rates of any indigenous population in the world, a UN report has found.

Full Text


pharmacyeurope

Size a factor in antibiotics dosage

The "one-size fits all" approach to prescribing antibiotics is no longer effective and larger patients may need to be given higher doses, according to doctors.

Full Text

[red_Dragon888]

NATAP Raltegravir SWITCHMRK Study published Lancet

http://www.natap.org/2010/HIV/011410_01.htm

[Inchlingblue]

NATAP Raltegravir SWITCHMRK Study published Lancet

http://www.natap.org/2010/HIV/011410_01.htm

I'm not sure why this is being reported on now, it was announced back in early 2009. Here is Gallant's take on it:

Isentress and the results of the SWITCHMRK studies

Joel E. Gallant, M.D., M.P.H.

Posted on Feb 12, 2009

Dear Dr. Gallant,

Are you suprised by the poor performance of Isentress in the SWITCHMRK studies?

From my understanding of the reports, similar results would likely have been obtained if Sustiva (i.e. rather than Isentress) had been substituted for Kaletra. Or am I mistaken?

Many thanks, as usual, for this forum!

d.

On Feb 12, 2009 Joel E. Gallant, M.D., M.P.H. replied:
You're not mistaken. The results are not at all surprising. In the SWITCHMRK studies, patients with undetectable viral loads on a boosted protease inhibitor-based regimen were allowed to enter the study and were randomized to either continue the boosted PI with nucleoside analogs or switch to Isentress plus nucleoside analogs. However, many of the patients had extensive treatment histories with prior virologic failure on older regimens. There were patients enrolled in the study who had taken over a dozen different antiretrovirals in the past, with up to 22 years of treatment (dating back to the AZT monotherapy days). Thus, participants might have had high-level nucleoside analog resistance and been on the equivalent of boosted PI monotherapy when they enrolled. We know that boosted PIs have a much stronger genetic barrier to resistance than Isentress, so a switch from boosted PI monotherapy to the equivalen of Isentress monotherapy is not a good idea.

The results of the SWITCHMRK studies do not indicate that Isentress isn't a good drug, OR that you can't switch from a boosted PI to Isentress. Instead, they teach us several important lessons:

1. Isentress needs to be combined with other active drugs (something we already knew from the BENCHMRK studies).

2. Don't switch from a boosted PI to a drug with a lower barrier to resistance unless you're sure about the activity of the other drugs in the regimen.

3. Just because a clinical trial allows you to enroll in a study doesn't mean you should. It is important that physicians and investigators use appropriate clinical judgment before enrolling a patient in any clinical trial.

LINK:

http://www.hopkins-hivguide.org/q_a/patient/antiretroviral_therapy/simplifying_and_intensifying_therapy/isentress_and_the_results_of_the_switchmrk_studies.html?contentInstanceId=470786

[John2038]

NEWS - January 18, 2010

voxy

NZ: Once-Daily Dosing Of Kaletra Tablet Now Available

The Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) tablet has been registered by Medsafe for once-daily dosing for HIV treatment-nave adult patients. Kaletra is now registered for once-daily as well as twice-daily use in this patient population in combination with other antiretroviral agents, giving physicians another option when deciding on the most appropriate dosing regimen.

Full Text


aidsmap

Anal cytology tests useful for detecting pre-cancerous cell changes in patients with HIV

Anal cytology may be a useful tool for detecting pre-cancerous cell changes that can lead to anal cancer, UK investigators report in the online edition of AIDS.

Full Text

Bone loss following onset of menopause may put HIV-positive women at risk for fractures

Postmenopausal HIV-positive women may be at high risk for fractures because of low bone mineral density (BMD), according to a study appearing in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

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hivandhepatitis

Antiretroviral Therapy Is Effective for Children with HIV in both Wealthy and Resource-Limited Settings

A related systemic analysis found that among HIV-infected children in resource-limited countries, virological and immunological responses to HAART were similar to those of children in wealthier areas.

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uchicago

Zambian study finds longer breastfeeding best for HIV-infected mothers

A new study from Zambia suggests that halting breastfeeding early causes more harm than good for children not infected with HIV who are born to HIV-positive mothers.
Stopping breastfeeding before 18 months was associated with significant increases in mortality among these children, according to the study's findings.

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who

Preventive therapy and intensified case finding for TB in people living with HIV

The WHO HIV/AIDS and Stop TB Departments will host a joint meeting with key experts, 25-27 January 2010 to prepare guidelines on preventive therapy and intensified case finding for TB in people living with HIV.
The new guidelines will update the WHO/UNAIDS 1998 Policy statement on preventive therapy against TB in people living with HIV to produce new WHO guidelines, reconceptualising TB preventive therapy and intensified TB case finding, as integral parts of HIV treatment, care and support services.

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medscape

AMA Urges Restraint for Clinicians Seeking to Volunteer in Haiti

"The spontaneous volunteer has no place in disaster response," asserted James J. James, MD, DrPH, MHA, director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response, at the American Medical Association (AMA), during a webinar held today for medical and public health responders to assist them in preparing for the Haitian earthquake disaster relief effort.

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Cardiac CT Angiography Points to Preclinical Atherosclerosis in HIV+ Men

Another imaging study--this time using coronary computed-tomography angiography (CTA)--should help confirm what other studies have previously suggested: that HIV-infected men have a higher prevalence of preclinical atherosclerosis than men without HIV. According to study authors, led by Dr Janet Lo (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA), the study is the first to use coronary CTA to screen for coronary atherosclerosis and/or stenosis and to quantify plaque burden.

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Makeshift Hospitals in Haiti Providing Only Emergency Medical Care

Rescue teams with Médicins sans Frontièrs (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) in Haiti describe a "race against time," and people remain trapped under rubble. Supplies, including water, are just now beginning to arrive on the scene since a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti around 5 pm local time on January 12.

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Increased Risk for MRSA Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Among HIV-Infected Persons

HIV-infected persons have an elevated risk for both MRSA colonization and infection. Recent studies have suggested that patients with HIV have an 18 times higher rate of MRSA infections compared with that in the general population.[3,4] The incidence of MRSA infections among HIV-infected persons has been estimated as 9-12 cases per 1000 patient-years. Clinical manifestations of MRSA infections among HIV-infected persons mirror those seen in the general population; most patients present with skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) including furuncles, abscesses, and/or cellulitis.[3,6-8] Complicated disease also may occur, including necrotizing soft-tissue infections, fasciitis, bacteremia, and endocarditis.

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newsrx

New cryptococcosis immunology findings from College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology & Immunology published

New research, 'Improved survival of mice deficient in secretory immunoglobulin M following systemic infection with Cryptococcus neoformans,' is the subject of a report. "Cryptococcus neoformans causes severe, and often fatal, disease (cryptococcosis) in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those with HIV/AIDS. Although resistance to cryptococcosis requires intact T-cell immunity, a possible role for antibody/B cells in protection against natural disease has not been definitively established," scientists in the United States report.

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karger

Impacts of Vaccination on Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Korea over a 25-Year Period

The prevalence of HBV carriers in Korea was markedly reduced after the introduction of the universal HBV vaccination program. Korea is now classified as an area of intermediate endemicity for HBV.

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plosone

Changes to the Natural Killer Cell Repertoire after Therapeutic Hepatitis B DNA Vaccination

Activation of the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system by DNA immunization may be of particular importance to the efficacy of therapeutic interventions in a context of chronic infections.

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High Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b Infection in a Small Town of Argentina. Phylogenetic and Bayesian Coalescent Analysis

A total of 89 out of 1814 blood samples collected from people living in Wheelwright, were positive for HCV infection. The highest prevalence (4.9%) was observed in people older than 50 years, with the highest level for the group aged between 70–79 years (22%). The RFLP analyses showed that 91% of the positive samples belonged to the HCV-1b genotype.

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Cost-Effectiveness of Newborn Circumcision in Reducing Lifetime HIV Risk among U.S. Males

Newborn circumcision resulted in lower expected HIV-related treatment costs and a slight increase in QALYs. It reduced the 1.87% lifetime risk of HIV among all males by about 16%. The effect varied substantially by race and ethnicity. Racial and ethnic groups who could benefit the most from circumcision may have least access to it due to insurance coverage and state Medicaid policies, and these financial barriers should be addressed. More data on the long-term protective effect of circumcision on heterosexual males as well as on its efficacy in preventing HIV among MSM would be useful.

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news-medical

Obama's latest dilemma: Confronting the AIDS pandemic

Confronting the ongoing AIDS pandemic for his upcoming first national HIV/AIDS Strategy is President Obama's newest dilemma, say former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, former White House Drug Policy spokesman Robert Weiner, and Dartmouth College Coalition for Progress president Jordan Osserman.

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Scientists determine structure of enzyme essential to the survival of protozoan parasites

"With human migrations, HIV co-infections and the broadening of the host reservoirs due to climate changes, sleeping sickness and other diseases caused by these protozoan pathogens are now spreading around the world, including within the United States and Europe," said Lepesheva, a research associate professor at the Vanderbilt's department of biochemistry. "It is our hope that the results of our work might be helpful for the development of an effective treatment for such protozoan infections, some of which still remain incurable."

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allafrica

Kenya: Young And Living Positively With HIV

Nairobi — Reports on the rate of HIV infections in Kenya released early last week painted a gloomy picture on the fight against HIV and Aids.
For every HIV positive person who is put on medication, four more adults are infected, according to UNAids. The total number of people living with HIV in the country is estimated to be 1.2 million.

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eatg

Treatment for chronic hepatitis C: A phase II study

The addition of ketoprofen to the conventional combination therapy is associated with better viral kinetics and early activation of the IFNa signaling pathway, thus improving virological response rates.

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asiaone

'He didn't tell me he had Aids and had sex with me'

HER husband was diagnosed with Aids.
But he allegedly not only failed to tell her, he continued having sex with her.
Aida (not her real name), 33, later tested HIV-positive. Her husband, a technician, died of Aids in June 2008. He was 48.
As she grew too weak to work, she began worrying about how she was going to pay the $420 she needed for her medicines every month. She has no savings.

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Merck submits Gardasil data for women 27 to 45

Merck & Co on Wednesday said it had provided U.S. regulators with new information needed for approval to market its Gardasil cervical cancer vaccine to women between the ages of 27 to 45.

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Abacavir, ddI and two protease inhibitors remain associated with heart attacks in largest cohort study

For the first time D:A:D also reports a smaller increasing risk of heart attacks related to the total time on abacavir as well.

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health-e

Foreigners fare better on HIV treatment than citizen

JOHANNESBURG: (PlusNews) - A study finding that foreigners are about half as likely to fail antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as South African citizens attending the same Johannesburg clinic has challenged widely held assumptions about migrants' ability to adhere to HIV/AIDS drug regimens.

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un

Health Ministry Confirms 974 Deaths Of Flu And Acute Respiratory Viral Infections

he Health Ministry of Ukraine has confirmed 974 deaths caused by influenza and acute respiratory viral infections starting from October 29, 2009, through January 15 in all the 24 regions, the cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol, and in Crimea.

Ukrainian News learned this from a statement by the Health Ministry.
 
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jwatch

Respiratory Infections in the Setting of HIV

Viral pathogens were identified in about 65% of HIV-infected patients seeking outpatient care for respiratory symptoms. Influenza viruses were most common, followed by hMPV.

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medicinenet

Ear Infections: New Thinking on What to Do

Rather, pain control and pain management might need to take center stage, at least initially. For pain, Rosenfeld suggests ibuprofen over acetaminophen because, he said, "it lasts longer."

Warning
Not HIV related. Please consult your healthcare provider for better information.

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newsrunner

UPDATE: Woman In Video Admits HIV Hoax

The woman who caused a stir on the Internet this week with a video in which she says she has infected more than 500 people with HIV told The Detroit News  that she does not have the virus.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 19, 2010 - PART I/II

aidsmap

Risk of kidney problems argues for 'strategic' use of tenofovir in higher risk patients

Treatment with tenofovir causes long-term declines in kidney function, US investigators report in the January 1st edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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hivandhepatitis

Do White People with HIV Lose CD4 Cells Faster than Blacks in the Absence of Antiretroviral Therapy?

Untreated white HIV patients experienced significantly larger decreases in CD4 cells than black patients in 2 very different settings -- Switzerland and South Africa

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ctv

Craig Kielburger: The indomitable hope of Haitians amid chaos

Marie didn't appear to be injured when we met her in at the Partners in Health hospital in Cange.
She was wearing a pink dress with blue and purple flowers. She stared wide-eyed at the ceiling.
The doctors explained that while she had no physical wounds from the earthquake, she was gravely ill. They were trying to treat her for a heart condition. They believed it was caused by a secondary infection associated with HIV/AIDS.

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examiner

Some infections you can get from man’s best friend

This article present a summary of possible diseases and routes of infection.

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eatg

The epidemic continues

New York City has the highest AIDS case rate in the country, with more AIDS cases than Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington DC combined. HIV is the 3rd leading cause of death below age 65 in New York City.

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Obama battles Congress and PhRMA over biogenerics

US research-based drugmakers have threatened to withdraw their support for President Barack Obama’s health care reforms unless biologic drugs receive 12 years’ guaranteed protection from generic competition.

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uchicago

Factors Associated with Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1 Despite a Maternal Viral Load <500 Copies/mL at Delivery

Early and sustained control of viral load is associated with a decreasing residual risk of MTCT of HIV–1. Guidelines should take into account not only CD4+ T cell count and risk of preterm delivery, but also baseline HIV–1 load for deciding when to start antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy.

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Comparative Efficacy versus Effectiveness of Initial Antiretroviral Therapy in Clinical Trials versus Routine Care

Although marked differences in efficacy versus effectiveness have been observed in the therapeutic outcomes of other conditions, this study, analyses found no evidence of such divergence among patients who initiated antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus infection.

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Cost-Effectiveness of Tenofovir as First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy in India

As per the study, using tenofovir as part of first–line ART in India will improve survival, is cost–effective by international standards, and should be considered for initial therapy for HIV–infected patients in India.

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sciencedaily

More Proof That Withholding HIV Treatments Led to Thousands of Deaths in South Africa

Despite irrefutable proof that HIV treatments have proven benefits, AIDS denialists continue to deny their value. In a paper just published online in Springer's journal AIDS and Behavior, Professor Myron Essex and Dr. Pride Chigwedere, from the Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative in the US, provide additional proof that withholding HIV treatments with proven benefits led to the death of 330,000 people in South Africa as the result of AIDS denialist policies.

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Being Pear Shaped Protects Against Heart Disease

If you're prone to worrying whether your 'bum looks big in this', particularly after the Christmas period, you can take comfort that there may be health benefits.

Warning
Not HIV related. Please consult your healthcare provider for better information.

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Trial of New Osteoporosis Drug Beginning

Endocrinologists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC are launching a human trial of a new drug that their research indicates holds great promise for building bones weakened by osteoporosis.

Warning
Not HIV related. Please consult your healthcare provider for better information.

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medicalnewstoday

Leptin Therapy Could Hold Key To Long-Term Weight Loss

Hormone Helps to Regulate Energy Homeostasis, Neuroendocrine Function, and Metabolism
Leptin also restores ovulatory menstruation in women with hypothalalmic amenorrhea and improves metabolic dysfunction in patients with lipoatrophy, including lipoatrophy associated with HIV or highly active antiretroviral therapy.

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aethlonmedical

Aethlon Medical to Present at 12th International Conference on Dialysis

Aethlon Medical, Inc. announced today that its Chief Science Officer, Dr. Richard H. Tullis, will give a clinical presentation of the Aethlon Hemopurifier® at the 12th International Conference on Dialysis on January 22nd.  The presentation will review treatment outcomes of dialysis patients infected with Hepatitis-C (HCV), and will discuss the additional use of the Hemopurifier® in HIV and Cancer care.  The conference will be held at the Marriott New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Additional information, including the speaker agenda, can be accessed online at: http://www.renalresearch.com.

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newswise

Johns Hopkins Researchers Awarded $8 Million for HIV Research

A multidisciplinary research team at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has been awarded $8 million in funding by the National Institutes of Mental Health to develop methods to rid the body of HIV.

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cnn

Mymetics Corporation: The First Human Vaccinations of Mymetics' Preventative HIV Vaccine Candidate are Well Tolerated

EPALINGES, Switzerland -- Mymetics Corporation, a pioneer in the development of mucosal focused vaccines for human infectious diseases, announced today that following the vaccination of human volunteers as part of a clinical Phase I trial, the company's first preventative HIV vaccine has been well tolerated.

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bbc

Man guilty of 'reckless' HIV sex

A woman who found out she had HIV when she was pregnant with twins was infected by her boyfriend who had known he had the virus for nine years.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 19, 2010 - PART II/II

newsrx

Study results from Rush University broaden understanding of HIV/AIDS

"The goal of this study was to develop an in vivo murine model that can be used to study the influence of HSV-2 on HIV infection. Mice expressing transgenes for human CD4, CCR5, and Cyclin T1 were infected intravaginally with HSV-2 and 3-7 days later infected with HIV," investigators in the United States report.
HIV DNA was detected by real-time PCR. The frequency of detection of HIV DNA was significantly higher (65%) in vaginal tissue of HSV-2-infected mice compared to mock-infected mice (35%) when HIV was given 3 days after HSV-2. HSV-2-infected mice also had significantly higher levels of HIV DNA in vaginal tissue. HIV DNA was not detected in vaginal tissue of mice.

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Data on HIV/AIDS described by researchers at Kyoto University

According to a study from Kyoto, Japan, "Lentiviral vectors modified from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) offer a promising approach for gene therapy, facilitating transduction of genes into non-dividing cells both in vitro and in vivo. When transducing cytotoxic or anti-HIV genes, however, the vector must avoid self-inhibition by the transgene that can lead to a disruption in production of infectious virions."

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Investigators at Southern Medical University have published new data on HIV/AIDS

"We previously identified a small-molecule anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (anti-HIV-1) compound, ADS-J1, using a computer-aided molecular docking technique for primary screening and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a secondary screening method. In the present study, we demonstrated that ADS-J1 is an HIV-1 entry inhibitor, as determined by a time-of-addition assay and an HIV-1-mediated cell fusion assay," scientists in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China report.

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Investigators at University of Cincinnati have published new data on HIV/AIDS

According to recent research from the United States, "Regulatory T cells (Treg) are a subpopulation of CD4(+) T cells characterized by the suppressive activity they exert on effector immune responses, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific immune responses. Because Treg express CXCR4 and CCR5, they represent potential targets for HIV; however, Treg susceptibility to HIV infection is still unclear."

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New data from National Institutes of Health illuminate research in HIV/AIDS

According to recent research from the United States, "Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients, including those co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are at increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the ability of agonistic human monoclonal antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptors, mapatumumab and lexatumumab, respectively, to induce TRAIL-receptor mediated apoptosis (TRMA) in HCC (HCV-infected and -uninfected) cells and in peripheral blood cells (HIV-infected and -uninfected)."

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New HIV/AIDS study results reported from M.G. Bego et al

"The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) accessory protein Vpu enhances virus particle release by counteracting a host factor that retains virions at the surfaces of infected cells. It was recently demonstrated that cellular protein BST-2/CD317/Tetherin restricts HIV-1 release in a Vpu-dependent manner," scientists in Montreal, Canada report.

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New research on HIV/AIDS from J. Feldmann and co-authors summarized

According to recent research published in the Journal of Virology, "Chronic immune activation is thought to play a major role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenesis, but the relative contributions of multiple factors to immune activation are not known. One proposed mechanism to protect against immune activation is the ability of Nef proteins from some HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus strains to downregulate the T-cell receptor (TCR)-CD3 complex of the infected cell, thereby reducing the potential for deleterious activation."

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New research on HIV/AIDS from State University of New York summarized

"Natural killer (NK) cells are stimulated by ligands on virus-infected cells. We have recently demonstrated that NK cells respond to human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-infected autologous T-cells, in part, through the recognition of ligands for the NK cell activating receptor NKG2D on the surface of the infected cells," scientists in the United States report.

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Reports outline HIV/AIDS research from W.S. Blair and colleagues

According to a study from Sandwich, the United Kingdom, "A new small-molecule inhibitor class that targets virion maturation was identified from a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antiviral screen. PF-46396, a representative molecule, exhibits antiviral activity against HIV-1 laboratory strains and clinical isolates in T-cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)."

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Research data from T. Dieltjens and colleagues update understanding of HIV/AIDS

"Studies of viruses taken from individuals with broad cross-neutralizing antibodies against primary isolates may reveal novel antibody specificities and their associated epitopes that could be useful for immunogen design. We report on the Env antigenic variability of a slow progressing HIV-1 subtype A-infected donor with consistent broad cross-neutralizing antibodies during the second decade of disease progression after vertical transmission," scientists in Antwerp, Belgium report.

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Research from M. Tsiang and co-authors yields new data on HIV/AIDS

According to recent research from the United States, "The interaction between lens epithelium-derived growth factor/transcriptional co-activator p75 (LEDGF) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) is essential for HIV-1 replication. Homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays were developed to characterize HIV-1 integrase dimerization and the interaction between LEDGF and IN dimers."

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Research from Y. Iwatani and co-researchers in the area of HIV/AIDS described

According to recent research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, "During coevolution with the host, HIV-1 developed the ability to hijack the cellular ubiquitin/proteasome degradation pathway to counteract the antiviral activity of APOBEC3G (A3G), a host cytidine deaminase that can block HIV-1 replication. Abrogation of A3G function involves the HIV-1 Vif protein, which binds A3G and serves as an adapter molecule to recruit A3G to a Cullin5-based E3 ubiquitin ligase complex."

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Research results from A. Fernandezgarcia and colleagues update understanding of HIV/AIDS

"We report the near full-length genome characterization of an HIV-1 subtype F virus (D88_845) collected in St. Petersburg, Russia, from a 25-year-old Russian woman perinatally infected in 1982," scientists writing in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses report.

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Research results from Boston University, Medical Department update knowledge of HIV/AIDS

"The advent of HIV protease inhibitors has greatly extended the life span of AIDS patients. With an aging HIV+ population, the cardiometabolic side effects of these drugs are becoming increasingly important clinical concerns," scientists in the United States report.

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Research results from University of Pittsburgh update understanding of HIV/AIDS

"Nef, a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) accessory factor capable of interaction with a diverse array of host cell signaling molecules, is essential for high-titer HIV replication and AIDS progression. Previous biochemical and structural studies have suggested that Nef may form homodimers and higher-order oligomers in HIV-infected cells, which may be required for both immune and viral receptor downregulation as well as viral replication," scientists writing in the Journal of Molecular Biology report.

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Researchers from University of Jaen detail findings in HIV/AIDS

According to recent research published in the journal Human Gene Therapy, "Despite the efficient HIV-1 replication blockage achieved with current highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) therapies, HIV-1 persists in the body and survives in a latent state that can last for the entire life of the patient. A long-lived reservoir of latently infected CD4(+) memory T cells represents the most important sanctuary for the virus and the greatest obstacle for viral eradication."

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Studies by K. Hadian and co-authors describe new findings in HIV/AIDS

According to recent research published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, "The Rev protein is a key regulator of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gene expression. Rev is primarily known as an adaptor protein for nuclear export of HIV RNAs."

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Studies from George Mason University reveal new findings on HIV/AIDS

According to recent research from the United States, "HIV fusion and entry into CD4 T cells are mediated by two receptors, CD4 and CXCR4. This receptor requirement can be abrogated by pseudotyping the virion with the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein ( VSV-G) that mediates viral entry through endocytosis."

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Report summarizes HIV/AIDS vaccine study findings from M.A. Arroyo and co-researchers

"In preparation for HIV-1 vaccine trials in Kenya, 2801 study volunteers, from a tea plantation in Kericho, were recruited as part of a prospective vaccine cohort development study. Cryopreserved plasma was available from 401 HIV-positive volunteers, and was the source of viral RNA for genotyping by the multiregion hybridization assay (MHA)," scientists in the United States report.

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Research conducted by F. Martinon and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about HIV/AIDS vaccine

"Strategies to improve vaccine efficacy are still required, especially in the case of chronic infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). DNA vaccines have potential advantages over conventional vaccines; however, low immunological efficacy has been demonstrated in many experiments involving large animals and in clinical trials," investigators in France report.

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Studies from University of Pennsylvania add new findings in the area of HIV/AIDS vaccine

According to recent research from the United States, "We created a hybrid adeno-associated virus (AAV) from two related rhesus macaque isolates, called AAVrh32.33, and evaluated it as a vaccine carrier for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type A influenza virus antigens. The goal was to overcome the limitations of vaccines based on other AAVs, which generate dysfunctional T-cell responses and are inhibited by antibodies found in human sera."

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Study results from A.B. Abecasis and colleagues broaden understanding of HIV/AIDS vaccine

"Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genetic diversity, due to its high evolutionary rate, has long been identified as a main cause of problems in the development of an efficient HIV-1 vaccine. However, little is known about differences in evolutionary rate between different subtypes," scientists in Oeiras, Portugal report.

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Scientists at Michigan State University publish research in inflammation therapy

Scientists discuss in 'Bacterial- and viral-induced inflammation increases sensitivity to acetaminophen hepatotoxicity' new findings in inflammation. "Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity accounts for nearly half of acute liver failure cases in the United States. The doses that produce hepatotoxicity vary considerably and many risk factors have been proposed, including liver inflammation from viral hepatitis," scientists writing in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A report.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 20, 2010 - PART I/II

time

The Man Who Could Beat AIDS


Ho with a model of the antibody that he believes may prevent HIV infection.

Ho, who has been working to develop an HIV vaccine of his own, now believes that a traditional shot, one that relies on snippets of a virus to both awaken and prod the immune system to churn out antibodies, may not be the best way to fight HIV. Rather than expecting the body to do all the work of first recognizing then mounting an attack against the virus, why not just present the body with a ready-made arsenal of antibodies that can home in on HIV? It's the immunological equivalent of a frozen dinner; the already cooked antibodies eliminate all the hard work of prepping and priming the immune system to do battle.

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aegis

Researchers Find Study of Medical Marijuana Discouraged

Despite the Obama administration's tacit support of more liberal state medical marijuana laws, the federal government still discourages research into the medicinal uses of smoked marijuana. That may be one reason that -- even though some patients swear by it -- there is no good scientific evidence that legalizing marijuana's use provides any benefits over current therapies.

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Enrollment Open for Clinical Trial of Cytolin(R), a Novel Immune Therapy from CytoDyn for Treating Early HIV Infection

The study protocol calls for 10 adults with early HIV infection and 10 healthy control subjects. According to the study protocol, it could take up to one year to fill these 20 slots. Although the Company expects enrollment to be completed in a shorter period of time, there can be no guarantee that enrollment will be completed in less time than is permitted by the study protocol.
(http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, ID NCT01048372). Significantly, Cytolin(R) is not an antiviral drug although it has a significant, albeit indirect, antiviral effect (log reduction in viral burden). A first-in-class drug, Cytolin(R) is designed to prevent the wholesale destruction of helpful CD4 T cells by a person's own killer T cells. The killer T cells are made by the human body in response to HIV infection as part of the natural defense against the virus.

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sciencedaily

Common Stomach Pathogen May Protect Against Tuberculosis, Researchers Find

It's been implicated as the bacterium that causes ulcers and the majority of stomach cancers, but studies by researchers at Stanford University, UC Davis, and the University of Pittsburgh have found that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) also may play a protective role -- against the worldwide killer, tuberculosis (TB).

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natap

HIV Life Expectancy Study Published



Based on population-based HIV surveillance data from 25 states, life expectancy after an HIV diagnosis has improved significantly (12 years) from 1996 to 2005, particularly in the first 5 years after the introduction of HAART.

Full Text pdf

Life expectancy of individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy in high-income countries: a collaborative analysis of 14 cohort studies


Table 5 displays mortality rates, PYLLs, and life expectancy stratified by baseline
CD4 cell count. Overall mortality rates, mortality rates between the ages of 20
and 44 years, and PYLLs decreased substantially with increasing CD4 cell count at
baseline, as did life expectancy at age 20 years and at age 35 years.

"Life expectancy at age 20 years increased from 36·1 (SE 0·6) years to 49·4 (0·5) years. Women had higher life expectancies than did men. Patients with presumed transmission via injecting drug use had lower life expectancies than did those from other transmission groups (32·6 [1·1] years vs 44·7 [0·3] years in 2003-05). Life expectancy was lower in patients with lower baseline CD4 cell counts than in those with higher baseline counts (32·4 [1·1] years for CD4 cell counts below 100 cells per µL vs 50·4 [0·4] years for counts of 200 cells per µL or more).

Original Study: The Lancet, Volume 372, Issue 9635, Pages 293 - 299, 26 July 2008

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AIDS ERADICATION SCIENTIFIC UPDATE FROM THE ST.MARTIN MEETING in SF Feb 4 2010

Researchers, physicians, medical students and advocates are invited to attend a scientific update from a recent research conference on HIV viral eradication.

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eatg

Telaprevir may be viewed more positively by clinicians than boceprevir for hepatitis C virus treatment following their launches in 2011

Uptake of telaprevir and boceprevir will be key drivers of substantial overall market growth through 2013, according to new findings from Decision Resources.

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Promising candidates for malaria vaccine revealed

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have uncovered a group of proteins that could form the basis of an effective vaccine against malaria.

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eurekalert

HIV: Positive lessons from home-based care

Intensive home-based nursing in HIV/AIDS patients significantly improves self-reported knowledge of HIV, awareness of medications, and self-reported adherence to medication programmes, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. One home-based care trial included in the review also significantly impacted on HIV stigma, worry, and physical functioning. It did not, however, help improve depressive symptoms, mood, general health, and overall functioning.

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First evidence that blueberry juice improves memory in older adults

Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries — one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals — improve memory. They said the study establishes a basis for comprehensive human clinical trials to determine whether blueberries really deserve their growing reputation as a memory enhancer. A report on the study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.

Warning
Not HIV specific. Please consult your healthcare provider for better information.

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Post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed with magnetism

A group of 74 US veterans has been involved in clinical trials which appear to have objectively diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), something conventional brain scans, be it X-ray, CT or MRI, have thus far failed to do.

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Cholesterol-lowering drug shows promise against serious infections in sickle cell disease

New research suggests a family of widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs might help protect individuals from serious illness following bacterial infection, including the pneumococcal infections that pose a deadly threat to those with sickle cell disease.

Warning
Not HIV specific. Please consult your healthcare provider for better information.

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Researchers find a treatment for deadly brain tumor

New research at Rhode Island Hospital has identified a treatment in animal models for glioblastomas -- deadly brain tumors which, once diagnosed, offer a poor prognosis and relatively short life expectancy. Using a synthetic form of a naturally-occurring hormone combined with chemotherapy, researchers were able to inhibit tumor growth and achieve a 25 percent cure rate. The study and their findings are published in the Journal of Oncology.

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Sweating out the cravings

A University of Western Ontario team has shown that supervised exercise in addition to pharmacological agents like nicotine replacement therapy helps smoking cessation, improves physical fitness, and delays weight gain in women smokers.

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uci

UCI cardiologists discover 'pouch' in heart that may raise stroke risk

UC Irvine cardiologists have found a pouchlike structure inside the heart's left atrial chamber that may be a potent source of stroke-causing blood clots.

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recordonline

Middletown's TOUCH food program provides proper nutrition for people with HIV/AIDS


When money is scarce, health is fragile and problems seem overwhelming, people
with HIV/AIDS in Orange County can turn to the nonprofit organization TOUCH –
Together Our Unity Can Heal – which provides free, nutritionally balanced food,
among other services. Robert Maher, executive director/CEO, left, and
volunteer Robert Michaels are shown preparing groceries for delivery.

A strong immune system is a powerful weapon when the body is battling illness. In fact, for people with HIV/AIDS, strengthening immunity can be a matter of life and death.
In Orange County, people living with HIV/AIDS can seek help from the TOUCH food program in Middletown. TOUCH — which stands for Together Our Unity Can Heal — offers people with HIV/AIDs a bevy of services, including a free weekly food program that provides the basics of a balanced diet. And, yes, they deliver.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 20, 2010 - PART II/II


chinadaily

80 infected with AIDS in blood transfusions

A hospital has confirmed that more than 80 people have been infected with HIV/AIDS from contaminated blood, Wuhan Morning Post reported Wednesday.

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dailyiowan

Iowa HIV numbers rising

With a 42.9 percent increase in the number of newly confirmed cases of HIV in Iowa in the first half of 2009, state officials are concerned about what they’ll find in the second half.

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beaumontenterprise

New law requires HIV tests for pregnant women

Pregnant woman are being tested during their last trimester for the virus that causes AIDS as part of a new effort to save young lives in Texas.

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newsrx

Researchers from University of North Carolina, Department of Epidemiology detail new studies and findings in the area of HIV/AIDS epidemiology

Each log(10) increase in copy-years viremia was associated with a 1.70-fold increased hazard (95% confidence interval: 0.94, 3.07) of AIDS or death, independently of infection duration, age, race, CD4 cell count, set-point, peak viral load, or most recent viral load," wrote S.R. Cole and colleagues, University of North Carolina, Department of Epidemiology.

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iol

Woman infected with HIV by paramedic

A Bedfordview, Johannesburg woman was infected with HIV virus by a KwaZulu-Natal health department paramedic who attended to her, the Pietermaritzburg High Court said on Wednesday.

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newkerala

HIV-positive tested couples wed in Pune

Their marriage was solemnised as per traditional Hindu wedding rites in the city''s Suyog Hall.

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informahealthcare

Discontinued drugs in 2008: anti-infectives

Of the many drugs dropped from development in 2008, 27 were under development for therapy or prophylaxis of infectious diseases. The antiviral agents were primarily against HIV and hepatitis C virus, together with agents against hepatitis B virus and West Nile virus.

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ama-assn

New HIV Recommendations

Citing new evidence that earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves survival and reduces HIV-related illnesses, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that ART should be started in all patients with HIV who have a CD4 T-cell count of 350 cells/µL or less. The agency's previous guideline revision, in 2006, called for starting treatment when a patient's CD4 count dwindled to 200 cells/µL, when symptoms of HIV disease typically emerge.

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uchicago

Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Patients with HIV Infection Exposed to Specific Individual Antiretroviral Drugs from the 3 Major Drug Classes: The Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs Study

As per the study, of the drugs considered, only indinavir, lopinavir–ritonavir, didanosine, and abacavir were associated with a significantly increased risk of MI.

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A Case of Seronegative HIV-1 Infection

The authors describe a human leukocyte antigen B*5802–positive individual who presented with acquired immune deficiency syndrome despite repeatedly negative HIV–1 antibody screening test results.

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jem

Viral adaptation to immune selection pressure by HLA class I-restricted CTL responses targeting epitopes in HIV frameshift sequences

The study indicate that responses to ARF–encoded HIV epitopes are induced during natural infection, can contribute to viral control in vivo, and drive viral evolution on a population level.

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medscape

Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, St. Joseph Aspirin, Rolaids Recall

Because of a sickening smell in some containers, 54 million packages of 27 different over-the-counter remedies now are being recalled.
Products include various types of child and/or adult Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, St. Joseph Aspirin, Rolaids, and Simply Sleep. This adds to the 6 million packages of Tylenol recalled late last year, bringing the total number of recalled products to 60 million.

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nih

Variability in drug metabolizing enzyme activity in HIV-infected patients.

Infection with HIV or stage of HIV infection may alter Phase I and II drug metabolizing enzyme activity. HIV infection was related to an increase in variability of these drug-metabolizing enzymes. Altered metabolism may be a consequence of immune activation and cytokine exposure.

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The effect of human immunodeficiency virus on hepatitis B virus serologic status in co-infected adults.

Clinical indicators of immunologic status in HIV-infected individuals, such as CD4 cell count, are associated with HBV serologic outcome. These data suggest that immunologic preservation through the increased use of HAART to improve functional anti-HBV immunity, whether by improved access to care or earlier initiation of therapy, would likely improve HBV infection outcomes in HIV-infected individuals.

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HLA-B27: what's new?

The HLA-B27 molecule is one of the most fascinating in medicine. Its contribution to the aetiopathogenesis of SpA and other diseases, and its protective action in certain infections, continue to challenge our understanding of its immunobiology and physiological roles.

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Scaling up access to antiretroviral treatment for HIV infection: the impact of decentralization of healthcare delivery in Cameroon.

Success in scaling-up access to ART in Cameroon has been facilitated by decentralization of the healthcare system. Long-term sustainability urgently implies better integration of this HIV-targeted programme in the global healthcare reform of financing mechanisms, management of human resources and drug procurement systems.

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Who starts antiretroviral therapy in Durban, South Africa?... not everyone who should.

Less than half of ART-eligible subjects started ART within 12 months. Substantial attrition and mortality follow HIV diagnosis before ART initiation in Durban, South Africa. Major efforts directed towards earlier HIV diagnosis, effective linkage to care and timely ART initiation are urgently needed.

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Higher risk of unsafe sex and impaired quality of life among patients not receiving antiretroviral therapy in Cameroon

In addition to increasing clinical effectiveness, earlier initiation of ART at less severe immune-depression levels than previously recommended by World Health Organization guidelines for low-resource settings may be justified for improving subjective health and positive prevention among people living with HIV.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 21, 2010

aidsmap

Merck will not seek vicriviroc licenses in treatment-experienced

Merck has announced that it will not press ahead with attempts to obtain a license for vicriviroc in treatment-experienced patients with HIV following disappointing results in two phase III studies that were designed to clinch approval of the drug.

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Subtle changes in immune system soon after HIV infection show who may benefit from earlier treatment

Subtle changes in the immune system soon after infection with HIV have an impact on long-term prognosis, investigators from the US military report in the January 15th edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The level of cell-associated viral load was also shown to be an important prognostic marker.

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Latest Scottish HIV transmission conviction sets worrying legal precedent

A 41-year-old HIV-positive man has been convicted by a court in Edinburgh of reckless and culpable conduct after infecting a female sexual partner with HIV.

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sciencedaily

plos

Systemic pre-exposure administration of antiretroviral drugs provides protection against intravenous and rectal transmission of HIV in mice with human immune systems, according to a new study published January 21, 2010 in the online journal PLoS ONE.

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plosone

Sexual Seroadaptation: Lessons for Prevention and Sex Research from a Cohort of HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men

Potentially effective HIV prevention strategies, such as seroadaptation, have evolved in communities of MSM before they have been recognized in research or discussed in the public health forum. Thus, to be informative, studies of HIV risk must be designed to assess seroadaptive behaviors rather than be limited to individual characteristics, unprotected intercourse, and numbers of partners. STI surveillance is not an effective indicator of trends in HIV incidence where there are strong patterns of seroadaptation.

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Analysis of Memory B Cell Responses and Isolation of Novel Monoclonal Antibodies with Neutralizing Breadth from HIV-1-Infected Individuals

This study reveals that by using appropriate screening methods, a large proportion of memory B cells can be isolated that produce mAbs with HIV-1 neutralizing activity. Three of these mAbs show unusual breadth of neutralization and therefore add to the current panel of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies with potential for passive protection and template-based vaccine design.

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Vitamin D Status of HIV-Infected Women and Its Association with HIV Disease Progression, Anemia, and Mortality

Low vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<32ng/mL) was significantly associated with progression to WHO HIV disease stage III or greater in multivariate models (incidence rate ratio [RR]: 1.25; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.05, 1.50). No significant relationship was observed between vitamin D status and T-cell counts during follow-up. Women with low vitamin D status had 46% higher risk of developing severe anemia during follow-up, compared to women with adequate vitamin D levels (RR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.96). Women in the highest vitamin D quintile had a 42% lower risk of all-cause mortality, compared to the lowest quintile (RR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.84). Vitamin D status had a protective association with HIV disease progression, all-cause mortality, and development of anemia during follow-up in HIV-infected women. If confirmed in randomized trials, vitamin D supplementation could represent a simple and inexpensive method to prolonging the time to initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients, particularly in resource-limited settings.

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Changes to the Natural Killer Cell Repertoire after Therapeutic Hepatitis B DNA Vaccination

These changes in the CD56bright population may suggest a NK helper effect on T cell adaptive responses. Activation of the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system by DNA immunization may be of particular importance to the efficacy of therapeutic interventions in a context of chronic infections.

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Common Genetic Variants and Risk for HPV Persistence and Progression to Cervical Cancer

HPV infrequently persists and progresses to cervical cancer. We examined host genetic factors hypothesized to play a role in determining which subset of individuals infected with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) have persistent infection and further develop cervical pre-cancer/cancer compared to the majority of infected individuals who will clear infection.

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natap

Fish oil protects against cellular aging

Farzaneh-Far and colleagues measured the length of telomeres in blood cells in 608 heart attack patients to see if there was any association between the levels of omega-3 fatty acids and the change in telomere length over time.
"We found a very clear association that increasing levels of the amount of omega-3 fish oil in the blood was associated with a decrease in the rate of biological aging," Farzaneh-Far said.
Those with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids had the longest telomeres, while patients with low levels of the compounds had shorter telomeres, he said.

Full Text Seen also on asiaone


asiaone

"I wished someone had warned me"

He wished he had listened to warnings about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people.
Now, he is in his 50s and have had more than 40 sex partners. He is also HIV positive.

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Is big pharma just milking our fears?

Quite apart from product branding - the building up of the value of a particular drug in the minds of patients and doctors - the pharmaceutical industry has, since the 1990s, been branding illnesses as well. The idea is to take an illness and widen its boundaries so that the uses of, and thus the market for, a drug that treats it will be inflated too. To this end, campaigns to raise public awareness about these conditions are carried out.

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sama

Home Aids tests 'too risky'

"The tests have important implications for the individual, especially in respect of HIV counselling procedures.
"There is also the danger of people committing suicide after being informed of their HIV positive status, or even following misinterpretation of the results of the home test kit," said Mabasa.

Full Text  Seen also on iol


nih

Abacavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate co-administration results in a nonadditive antiviral effect in HIV-1-infected patients.

In this study, the viral decay during ABC and TDF dual-therapy was similar to that during ABC therapy alone, suggesting a nonadditive antiviral effect. This negative pharmacodynamic interaction was not explained by changes in CBV-TP or TFV-DP concentrations. Rather, modest increases in endogenous dATP pools were associated with reduced antiviral potency of TDF during co-administration with ABC.

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Identification of Novel Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Inhibitory Peptides Based on the Antimicrobial Peptide Database

To identify novel anti-HIV-1 peptides based on the antimicrobial peptide database (http://aps.unmc.edu/AP/main.php), we have screened 30 candidates and found 11 peptides with EC50 concentrations < 10 muM and therapeutic indices (TI) up to 17. Furthermore, among the eight peptides (with identical amino acid composition but different sequences) generated by sequence shuffling of an aurein 1.2 analog, two had a TI twice that of the original sequence. Because antiviral peptides in the database have an arginine/lysine (R/K) ratio > 1, an increase in the Arg content in amphibian maximin H5, dermaseptin S9, and database-derived GLK-19 peptides improved their TIs. These examples demonstrate that the antimicrobial peptide database (APD) is a rich resource and useful tool for developing novel HIV-1 inhibitory peptides.

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allafrica

ZW: Boyfriend infected with HIV

A HARARE woman who "willfully" infected her boyfriend with HIV as a way of "fixing" him and subsequently bragging about it appeared in court on Monday charged with deliberate transmission of the incurable virus.

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nejm

Herpes Therapy Doesn't Bar HIV Transmission

Treating herpes has no effect on the transmission of HIV among discordant couples, researchers said.

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dovepress

Profile of etravirine for the treatment of HIV infection

In randomized, controlled trials, twice daily etravirine combined with darunavir/ritonavir plus optimized background therapy demonstrated better efficacy compared to darunavir/ritonavir plus optimized background therapy alone in treatment experienced populations out to 96 weeks follow–up. The main etravirine–associated toxicity is mild to moderate self–limiting rash, although severe and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reactions have been reported. Etravirine offers a potent sequencing option after the development of resistance to first–line NNRTIs, and is a welcome addition to this established drug class.

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clinicalradiology

Chest radiographic features of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis in HIV-infected children

The radiological features of LIP have not been systematically analysed. However, CDC criteria remain reliable, allowing diagnosis of at least 75% of cases. The sensitivity of these criteria may be increased by including cases with persistent focal pulmonary opacification superimposed on diffuse nodularity. Longitudinal studies utilizing standardized radiographic analysis are needed to elucidate the natural history of LIP.

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asm

Breadth of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific Neutralizing Activity in Sera: Clustering Analysis and Association with Clinical Variables

The study shows that clustering analysis of sera by a novel method identified a statistically robust subgrouping of sera that demonstrated broad and potent neutralization activity.

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Protease Cleavage Sites in HIV-1 gp120 Recognized by Antigen Processing Enzymes Are Conserved and Located at Receptor Binding Sites

The results suggested that HIV may have evolved to take advantage of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen processing enzymes in order to evade or direct the antiviral immune response.

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EDIT: Fixed reported broken links

[red_Dragon888]

When do you think that they will find a cure to test on humans?  five, ten, twenty years?!  Or are they already testin on humans?

[skeebo1969]

When do you think that they will find a cure to test on humans?  five, ten, twenty years?!  Or are they already testin on humans?

John's a very busy man and I certainly hope you are not patronizing him. 

[red_Dragon888]

John's a very busy man and I certainly hope you are not patronizing him. 

[John2038]

red_Dragon888, a personal point of view will be provided in the thread you have open about your question (here)

[John2038]

NEWS - January 22, 2010

yahoo

Drug Combo Blocks HIV Infection in Mice

New research in mice suggests that a commonly used drug combination might protect people from being infected by the AIDS virus through the major routes of transmission.
The research raises the prospect that "one single pill once a day, totally available in the pharmacy for patients, can be used to prevent transmission by any mode anywhere in the world," said J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and senior author of a study published online Jan. 20 in PloS One.
The drug in question is the Truvada (tenofovir and emtricitabine).

Note
Repeated news, but this latter is easier to read.

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plos

Postcoital Bioavailability and Antiviral Activity of 0.5% PRO 2000 Gel: Implications for Future Microbicide Clinical Trials

Postcoital responses to PRO 2000 differ from precoital measures and the results obtained may provide insights into the clinical trial findings in which there was no significant protection against HIV-1 or HSV-2. Postcoital studies should be incorporated into clinical studies before embarking on large-scale efficacy trials.

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medpagetoday

HIV/AIDS -- Much Progress, No Cure

It's 1984. A 20-year-old homosexual man walks into the clinic complaining of swollen glands.
It could well be a death sentence.
Today, says Joel Gallant, MD, director of Johns Hopkins' Moore Clinic for HIV Care, if our hypothetical young man walked in "I would assure him that he will not die of AIDS if he remains under medical care by an HIV expert and takes his medications as prescribed."

Full Text Audio Report

HIV Switch Trial Succeeds and Fails

Changing HIV drug regimens reduced metabolic side effects in two clinical trials, researchers said -- but, unfortunately, the switch resulted in some loss of control over the virus.

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kff

Americans Are Divided About Health Reform Proposals Overall, But the Public, Including Critics, Becomes More Supportive When Told About Key Provisions



A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that Americans are divided over congressional health reform proposals, but also that large shares of people, including skeptics, become more supportive after being told about many of the major provisions in the bills.

Full Text Chartpack Topline Findings


eatg

Pharmasset initiates Phase 2a trial with PSI-7977, a chirally pure isomer of PSI-7851

The trial will evaluate various doses of PSI-7977 in combination with Pegasys and Copegus in patients with HCV genotype 1 who have not been treated previously.

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Tree shrew offers small-animal model of hepatitis C virus infection

This discovery would replace the need for rare and expensive studies using chimpanzees, currently the only validated animal model for HCV.

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Merck rewrites history on pricing top AIDS drug, Isentress, says AHF

The controversy around Merck's pricing for its key AIDS drug Isentress continued this week following Merck's reaction to recent public criticism of its AIDS drug pricing.

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Africa: Crackdowns on gays make the closet safer

More than two-thirds of African countries have laws criminalizing homosexual acts, and despite accounting for a significant percentage of new infections in many countries, men who have sex with men tend to be left out of the HIV response.

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medicalnewstoday

HIV Infection Prematurely Ages The Brain

HIV infection or the treatments used to control it are prematurely aging the brain, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California-San Diego have found.

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irishexaminer

63% would not tell boss about a mental health issue

MORE than a third of employers have admitted they would not feel comfortable giving a job to someone with a mental health issue.

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hivandhepatitis

MONET Study Finds Boosted Darunavir (Prezista) Monotherapy Maintains HIV Suppression as well as Standard Combination Antiretroviral Therapy

Patients with undetectable viral load who switched from standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens to ritonavir-boosted darunavir (Prezista) monotherapy maintained HIV RNA suppression and stable CD4 cell counts, according to findings from the MONET study reported in the January 16, 2010 issue of AIDS. Investigators concluded that darunavir/ritonavir monotherapy is non-inferior to triple therapy in this carefully selected population.

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Study Shows Improved Survival for HIV Positive People with Good Physical Health Quality of Life

 People who report having good overall physical health had a significantly better chance of survival than those with poor health-related quality of life, according to an analysis of the ATHENA Dutch national HIV cohort published in the January 15, 2010 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Reported mental health status, however, was not significantly associated with survival.

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Math Model Predicts "Wave" of Drug Resistant HIV in San Francisco, but Vancouver Study Find "Drastic Decrease" in Resistance

 Is HIV drug resistance becoming more common? Two recent studies suggest opposite answers. A mathematical model by University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers found that resistant HIV strains are common in San Francisco, and 60% of them could potentially cause self-sustaining epidemics. Local public health officials, however, said drug resistance is not new or cause for extraordinary concern. And a study looking at actual trends in drug resistance among participants in the British Columbia Drug Treatment Program found that the incidence of new resistance fell more than 12-fold between 1997 and 2008.

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Progestin-only Hormonal Contraception Linked to Lower HDL Levels and More Insulin Resistance in Women with HIV

HIV positive women who use progestin-only hormonal contraception (such as injections, implants, or the "mini-pill") are more likely to have low levels of high-density lipoprotein and greater insulin resistance than women who use combined estrogen/progestin methods. These findings, published in the December 2009 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, suggest that combination contraceptive methods may be preferable for women at risk for cardiovascular disease.

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medscape

Capacity for Medical Care Increasing in Haiti

In the wake of a 5.9-magnitude aftershock yesterday, surgical teams in Haiti have been performing an average of 130 operations per day, and this number is expected to increase as more surgeons arrive, according to Médicins sans Frontièrs (MSF, Doctors Without Borders). The area has experienced at least 2 more aftershocks of about 4.0 in magnitude since yesterday, and at least 10 aftershocks since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake on January 12, the US Geological Survey reports.

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Early Weaning Linked to Mortality, Poor Nutrition in Infants of HIV-Positive Mothers

In babies of HIV-positive mothers, the benefits of breast milk outweigh the risks of disease transmission, studies from Africa show.

Note
Repeated news, but this latter is easier to read.

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Perinatal Acquisition of Drug-resistant HIV-1 Infection: Mechanisms and Long-term Outcome

This study confirms the importance of early resistance genotyping of HIV-1-infected newborns. In most cases (75%), drug resistance was archived in the cellular reservoir and persisted during infancy, with or without antiretroviral treatment. This finding stresses the need for effective antiretroviral treatment of pregnant women.

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aegis

UTAH: Chlamydia Tops List of Communicable Diseases in Davis County

STDs accounted for more than half of all communicable-disease reports in Davis County last year, according to preliminary data that Brian Hatch, the county's epidemiologist, presented recently to the Board of Health. Chlamydia topped the list with 735 cases - 200 more than in 2008 - followed by influenza leading to hospitalization, hepatitis C, latent TB infection, chicken pox, streptococcal invasive disease, gonorrhea, giardia, hepatitis B, and salmonella. A spike in gonorrhea cases moved the STD from 11th place in 2008 to seventh place in 2009. "You have to know you have it before we can treat," Hatch said of STDs. "People out there don't know they're infected. They're spreading it but never know they have it."

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OHIO: AIDS and Depression: Ohio University Tests HIV Phone Therapy

Can depressed HIV/AIDS patients in rural settings benefit from weekly psychotherapy sessions by telephone? An Ohio University professor of geriatric medicine/gerontology hopes his new study will answer that question.
"Telephone-administered psychotherapy has been used before to reduce depression, but it's never been tested with rural people living with HIV who are also diagnosed with depression," said Timothy Heckman, whose four-year project is supported by a $1.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health

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prlog

R&D Diet Cookie diet aid to Begin Using Stevia as Sweetener

R&D Diet Cookie diet aid announces they will be using Stevia, instead of sucralose, to sweeten their popular cookie diet aid.
Their website http://www.RandDDietCookie.com describes the cookies as being good for you.  “… packed with the best, high quality protein blends, fiber, and good carbs, low in sodium, naturally low in cholesterol, and an excellent source of Omega 3’s and Vitamin E…  and now, sweetened with stevia!”

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natap

Estimating the proportion of patients infected with HIV who will die of comorbid diseases



Misc studies. One among others:
For 30-year-old patients with CD4 counts of 800 cells/mm3 and viral loads of 10000 copies/mL, median life expectancy was 31.3 years. In contrast, for patients of the same age with CD4 counts of 200 cells/mm3 and viral loads of 1000000 copies/mL, estimated median life expectancy was only 12.2 years.

Full Text pdf iasusa 2007


cochrane

Antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C in patients with human immunodeficiency virus

A total of 14 randomised clinical trials with at total of 2269 patients have been included in this review. Peginterferon plus ribavirin may be considered a treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C and stable HIV who have not received treatment for hepatitis C as the intervention may clear the blood of HCV RNA. Supporting evidence comes mainly from the analysis of this non–validated surrogate outcome assessed in comparisons against other antiviral treatments. There is no evidence on treatment of patients who have relapsed or did not respond to previous therapy. Careful monitoring of adverse events is warranted.

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uchicago

Incidence and Risk Factors for Chronic Elevation of Alanine Aminotransferase Levels in HIV-Infected Persons without Hepatitis B or C Virus Co-Infection

The study shows that among patients without hepatitis virus co–infection, the incidence of chronic elevated ALT levels was 3.9 cases per 100 person–years, which was associated with high HIV RNA levels, increased BMI, severe alcohol use, and prolonged stavudine and zidovudine exposure.

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ersjournals

Enhanced diagnosis of HIV-1 associated tuberculosis by relating T-SPOT.TB and CD4 counts

The ratio of summed T cell response to CD4 count improved diagnostic accuracy of the T–SPOT.TB assay in HIV–infected persons and ratio of SFC/CD4>0.12 should prompt investigation for active disease. A strong association between the degree of sputum positivity and T–SPOT.TB score was found. The sensitivity of T–SPOT.TB in active disease may be less impaired by advanced immunosuppression.

Full Text

EDIT:
Missing link

[John2038]

NEWS - January 25, 2010

aidsmap

Almost 30 percent of HIV-positive New York jail inmates may not know their status

Two new studies in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes call attention to the challenges associated with encouraging inmates in United States jails to undergo HIV testing and receive appropriate health care

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HIV-positive migrants in France hit hard by TB

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) amongst HIV-positive patients in France doubled between 1997 and 2008, investigators report in the January 28th edition of AIDS. During this period there was a particularly large increase in TB incidence among HIV-positive migrants, especially those from sub-Saharan Africa.

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genomeweb

NIDA Grants to Fund Systems Bio, HIV Studies

The National Institute on Drug Abuse intends to fund research that will use systems biology and genomic and proteomic data to understand the complex relationship between HIV/AIDS and substance abuse

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biomedcentral

A multiattribute utility evaluation of different methods for the detection of enteric protozoa causing diarrhea in AIDS patients 

The authors conclude that a combination of minimum three procedures should be carried out for the screening of stool specimens of HIV positive patients. Kinyoun's staining should be made mandatory for every diarrheal stool sample from HIV patients. Also every laboratory should assign its own value to the attributes and apply Multiattribute utility theory or the Analytical hierarchy process to decide the most appropriate methodology.

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retrovirology

Vpu serine 52 dependent counteraction of tetherin is required for HIV-1 replication in macrophages, but not in ex vivo human lymphoid tissue 

The data explain why the effect of the S52A mutation in Vpu on virus release is cell–type dependent and suggest that a reduced ability of Vpu to counteract tetherin impairs HIV–1 replication in macrophages, but not in tissue CD4+ T cells.

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cell

Lessons learned from natural infection: focusing on the design of protective T cell vaccines for HIV/AIDS 

The authors discuss qualitative parameters of the CD8+ CTL response and mechanisms operative in the control of persistent virus infections and suggest new strategies for design and delivery of HIV vaccines.

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aidsrestherapy

Further benefits by early start of HIV treatment in low income countries: survival estimates of early versus deferred antiretroviral therapy 

This study demonstrates that HIV patients live longer with early start strategies in low income countries. Since low income countries have many constraints to full coverage of HAART, this study provides input to a more transparent debate regarding where to draw explicit eligibility criteria during further scale up of HAART.

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Magnitude and determinants of nonadherence and nonreadiness to highly active antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV/AIDS in Northwest Ethiopia: a cross - sectional study 

In this study the level of nonadherence and nonreadiness to HAART seems to be encouraging. Several factors associated with nonadherance and nonreadiness to HAART were identified. Efforts to minimize nonadherence and nonreadiness to HAART should be integrated in to regular clinical follow up of patients.

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ingentaconnect

Hepatitis C and diabetes: one treatment for two diseases

Epidemiological data clearly indicate a link between chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and disturbed glucose homeostasis. The prevalences of both type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance (IR) are higher among those chronically infected with hepatitis C when compared with the general population and those with other causes of chronic liver disease. Both IR and diabetes are associated with adverse outcomes across all stages of CHC including the liver transplant population. The adverse effects that directly influence patient outcome are reduced responsiveness to antiviral therapy, more rapid progression of fibrosis to cirrhosis and a higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

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The neglected hepatitis C virus genotypes 4, 5 and 6: an international consensus report

In HCV–5, a sustained virological response is achieved in >60% with 48 weeks of therapy. HCV–6 is also considered an easy–to–treat genotype, leading to a response in 60–85% of cases.

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Quantitative HBsAg and HDV-RNA levels in chronic delta hepatitis

HBsAg levels correlated with HDV viraemia in chronic HDV. Biochemical parameters did not accurately indicate the stage and grade of liver disease in chronic HDV and thus liver biopsy seems to remain the major tool for the evaluation of delta hepatitis patients.

Full Text HDV -WHO


wiley

Early treatment improves outcomes in acute hepatitis C virus infection: a meta-analysis

The authors advocate a 12 week period of observation for spontaneous clearance before treatment initiation. If no clearance has occurred by 12 weeks, treatment should be initiated.

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natap

The effects of intermittent, CD4-guided antiretroviral therapy on body composition and metabolic parameters in SMART  -

Intermittent ART in the SMART Body Composition substudy increased subcutaneous fat, had no effect on VAT, decreased plasma lipids, and increased hemoglobin A1C compared with continuous ART.

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Abacavir-based therapy does not affect biological mechanisms associated with cardiovascular dysfunction

Abacavir/lamivudine increased total and LDL cholesterol compared with tenofovir/emtricitabine, but it did not cause inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, hypercoagulability, or insulin resistance in virologically suppressed HIV-infected patients

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aegis

Dutchmen get tougher sentences for HIV attac

Two Dutchmen convicted of drugging, raping and injecting men with HIV-contaminated blood at gay sex parties had their sentences increased by three and four years on appeal Friday, a court said.
"(They) are responsible for four relatively young men having to go through life ... suffering from a chronic disease for which there is treatment but also still a reasonable chance of death," the ruling by the appeals court said.

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ARKANSAS: Berryville AIDS Clinic Offers Free Treatment

Today OARS operates two Saturdays a month and it still provides its services free, including HIV tests, medicine, supplies, and education about the virus. The organization is supported entirely by donations and a triennial fundraiser. Horton, who also works at St. John's Clinic in Berryville, has never received payment for his OARS work.
For more information, visit www.ozarksaids.org

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HIV infections emerge long after China blood scandal: report

At least 80 hospital patients in central China were infected with HIV through contaminated blood, according to a state media report that highlighted the continuing impact of a 1990s blood-selling scandal.
The patients at the No. 2 Hospital in Hubei province's Daye city were infected after receiving transfusions of blood sold by several local residents who were later found to have HIV, the Wuhan Morning Post said on Wednesday.

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CALIFORNIA: Tattooers, Piercers May Get Regulated

The act would require shops to register with a law enforcement agency and pay a fee set at the local level. Practitioners would also have to register as individuals; prove they were vaccinated against hepatitis B; show proof they had completed a federally overseen blood-borne pathogen training course as well as CPR and first-aid training; and post their registration certificate at work. Similar rules would cover temporary expositions. The law would allow the random inspection of shops and the suspension of non-compliant operators. It provides for a hearings process and makes violations a misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $1,000. Local governments would retain the right to enforce stricter rules in their jurisdiction.

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plos

Phase 1 Safety and Immunogenicity Evaluation of ADVAX, a Multigenic, DNA-Based Clade C/B' HIV-1 Candidate Vaccine

ADVAX delivered intramuscularly is safe, well-tolerated, and elicits modest but transient cellular immune responses.

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Phase 1 Safety and Immunogenicity Evaluation of ADMVA, a Multigenic, Modified Vaccinia Ankara-HIV-1 B'/C Candidate Vaccine

ADMVA was well-tolerated and elicited durable humoral and cellular immune responses.

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Rapid Species Diagnosis for Invasive Candidiasis Using Mass Spectrometry

Direct MALDI TOF-MS analysis of aliquots from positive blood cultures allowed rapid and accurate identification of the main Candida species, thus obviating the need for sub-culturing on specific media. Subsequent to this proof-of-principle demonstration, the method can be extended to other clinically relevant yeast species, and applied to an adequate number of clinical samples in order to establish its potential to improve antimicrobial management of patients with fungemia.

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Postcoital Bioavailability and Antiviral Activity of 0.5% PRO 2000 Gel: Implications for Future Microbicide Clinical Trials

Postcoital responses to PRO 2000 differ from precoital measures and the results obtained may provide insights into the clinical trial findings in which there was no significant protection against HIV-1 or HSV-2. Postcoital studies should be incorporated into clinical studies before embarking on large-scale efficacy trials.

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examiner

Harvard Medical School recommends a balanced exercise program

Everyone knows they need a balanced diet; not everyone is aware of the fact they need to have a balanced exercise regime to obtain and maintain optimum health.

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yahoo

Smokers with cancer could quit and double survival

People with lung cancer who continued smoking had a 29 to 33 percent chance of surviving five years. But those who kicked the habit had a 63 to 70 percent chance of being alive after five years.

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eatg

Parker sentenced to 20 years for infecting people with hepatitis C

The woman responsible for exposing thousands to hepatitis C, and infecting at least three dozen, to feed her drug habit has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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medscape

Gastric Acidity Inhibitors and the Risk of Intestinal Infections

A proper utilization of these drugs, particularly for patients at high risk, is imperative in order to reduce deleterious effects on infection risk and to optimize cost-effectiveness ratio.

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medicalnewstoday

Strong New Evidence Links Retail Meat To Urinary Tract Infections

Chicken sold in supermarkets, restaurants and other outlets may place young women at risk of urinary tract infections (UTI), McGill researcher Amee Manges has discovered.

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news-medical

Bill Gates' annual letter highlights innovations aimed at combating disease, hunger and poverty

Throughout his letter, Gates highlights innovations that are saving or improving lives and expanding opportunity. In the developing world, vaccines are thwarting preventable disease in children, new tools are aiding in the fight against malaria and HIV, and improved seeds and farming techniques are increasing agricultural productivity. In the United States, innovations are helping educators improve teaching and learning so that high school students graduate ready for success and are prepared to earn postsecondary degrees.

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rttnews

Abbott Lab Submits New HIV Test To FDA For Expedited Review

Upon approval, the assay is expected to be the first test available in the United States to simultaneously detect the combined presence of HIV antigens (proteins produced by the HIV virus) and antibodies (proteins produced by the body to fight HIV antigens), which would allow for the early detection and ongoing monitoring of the virus.

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eyewitnessnews

RSA: Recent HIV/Aids survey not all good news

An increasing number of South Africans now recognize that having more than one sexual partner; increased their chances of HIV infection. What we are not seeing is it translating in the reduction of the number of people reporting having more than one partner

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msn

NanoViricides Announces That Its Major Shareholder Has Completed Programmed Sale

NanoViricides, Inc. currently has two drug candidates at advanced stages of preclinical development. FluCide™ is designed to attack all Influenza viruses such as “Swine Flu” H1N1/2009, H5N1 Bird Flu, Highly Pathogenic Influenzas, and Seasonal Flu. HIVCide™ is designed against all HIV virus strains, including their mutations. The Company has previously reported that FluCide has shown extremely high efficacy against influenza in extremely lethal animal challenge studies. The Company has also reported that HIVCide™ was more that 25X (>2,500%) more effective compared to a three drug HAART cocktail in the standard SCID-hu mouse model of HIV. HAART stands for Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, a 3-drug regimen that has significantly extended the lives of HIV-infected individuals

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busrep

RSA: Faithfulness reduces HIV risk: survey

The percentage of respondents who believed faithfulness was a way to prevent HIV had increased from 26 percent in 2006 to 39.1 percent in 2009.

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usaid

The Role of Partner Reduction and Faithfulness in HIV Prevention

Fewer lifetime sexual partners and partner faithfulness reduce the risk of HIV infection.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 26, 2010

aidsmap

Poor kidney function increases cardiovascular disease risk for patients with HIV

Poor kidney function is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV, US investigators report in the January 28th edition of AIDS.

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Adherence partners give short-term boost, but no long-term benefit, in Nigerian study

People with HIV who selected treatment partners to support their adherence were more likely to return to the clinic to collect further doses of antiretrovirals, and showed a higher rate of viral suppression after six months of treatment, but showed no longer-lasting advantage in terms of viral suppression, CD4 cell counts or mortality, Nigerian and American researchers report in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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natap

Vicriviroc Effective in Treatment-Experienced Patients in Phase 2 Study VICTOR-E1

The benefits of vicriviroc, especially 30 mg once daily, were demonstrated by reductions in viral load, a significant likelihood of achieving and maintaining full virologic suppression (HIV RNA level <50 copies/mL), a reduced incidence and longer time to virologic failure, and improvement in CD4 counts. The responses to vicriviroc were often apparent by week 12 and were sustained through weeks 24 and 48, supporting the durability of the early antiviral effect.

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Proinflammatory IL-18 Increased in HIV+ Despite HAART

HIV-1 Causes an Imbalance in the Production of Interleukin-18 and Its Natural Antagonist in HIV-Infected Individuals: Implications for Enhanced Viral Replication

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ajhp

Etravirine: A novel nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for managing human immunodeficiency virus infection

Etravirine, a second–generation NNRTI, is efficacious in achieving viral suppression and improving the immune function in treatment–experienced HIV–infected patients.

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tuberculosisjournal

A mutation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis rpoB gene confers rifampin resistance in three HIV-TB cases

Patients with rifampin monoresistant MTB tend to have poorer outcomes than those with fully susceptible strains. Risk factors for the development of rifampin monoresistance include co–morbid HIV infection and previously treated tuberculosis. HIV infection has been associated with malabsorption of anti–tuberculous medications leading to sub–therapeutic levels of administered drugs. These factors may have played a role in the development of this previously undocumented mutation.

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wiley

The effects of HIV/AIDS on rural communities in East Africa: a 20-year perspective

Restudies in Tanzania and Uganda show that from 1986 to the present, HIV and AIDS have sometimes thrown households into disarray and poverty, but more often have reduced development. The progressive and systematic decline predicted in earlier work has not come to pass. However, poverty remains, as does endemic HIV disease.

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rsmjournals

Evaluation of a school-based HIV/AIDS peer-led prevention programme: the first intervention trial for children of migrant workers in China

The findings suggest that peer–led education was an effective method in improving knowledge, attitude and protection self–efficacy in Chinese children of migrant workers. Heightened concerns targeting the group students were particularly necessary, given their lower level of related knowledge and vulnerability to HIV infection.

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Establishment of an HIV/sexually transmitted disease programme and prevalence of infection among incarcerated men in Jamaica  

The goal of this study is to describe the establishment of an HIV testing and treatment programme in the Jamaican correctional system and to estimate the prevalence of HIV/sexually transmitted disease among adult incarcerated men in this country.

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postgradmed

Higher Pneumococcal Disease Vaccination Rates Needed to Protect More At-Risk US Adults

Advanced age, chronic lung or cardiovascular disease, immunosuppressive conditions, and smoking increase the risk for infection. Despite the availability of an effective pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), vaccination rates among adults remain suboptimal. This is of immediate concern given the current H1N1 pandemic, since secondary bacterial infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is common and can contribute to morbidity and mortality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently called for increased efforts to vaccinate recommended persons against pneumococcal disease. Long–term trends including the growth of the elderly population and an increase in the number of patients with chronic conditions also underscore the importance of improving pneumococcal vaccination rates.

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missouri

New compound could be alternative strategy for preventing HIV infection

With the help of effective drug therapies, HIV patients are living longer, healthier lives. Now, researchers want to improve these drug therapies and develop alternative preventative strategies, such as vaginal gels and creams that contain the same or related compounds used in treatments for people infected with HIV. A University of Missouri researcher is developing a compound that is more potent and longer-lasting than current HIV therapies

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drugdiscoverynews

After HIV-related advances with zinc fingers, Sangamo adds diabetic neuropathy and gliobastoma to mix

Sangamo BioSciences Inc. recently announced the initiation of two new clinical trials related to its ZFP Therapeutics program, one of them a Phase 2b study in diabetic neuropathy  and the other a Phase 1 trial in glioblastoma—as well as announcing the renewal of $3 million in funding for the Phase 2b trial by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF).

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Synthetic red blood cells mimic the real thing

Scientists at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the University of Michigan have collaborated to develop synthetic particles that closely mimic the characteristics and key functions of natural red blood cells, including softness, flexibility and the ability to carry oxygen.

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aegis

TEXAS: Foundations to Offer Free HIV Testing

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is bringing its Magic Johnson mobile HIV testing van to San Antonio this week.

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COLORADO: Judge Refuses Plea Deal for Surgery Tech in Hepatitis C Case

Having pled guilty to charges arising from a drug-theft and needle-swap scheme that infected some 35 hospital patients with hepatitis C, Kristen Diane Parker walked into a Denver courtroom Friday expecting to be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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AFRICA: Acyclovir and Transmission of HIV-1 from Persons Infected with HIV-1 and HSV-2

"Most persons who are infected with [HIV-1] are also infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which is frequently reactivated and is associated with increased plasma and genital levels of HIV-1," wrote the authors.

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CANADA: HPV Vaccine Could Prevent Other Cancers, Researchers Believe

Though intended to prevent cervical cancer, human papillomavirus vaccination programs could lead to decreasing rates of head and neck cancer among women and men alike, some oncologists are saying.

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PORTUGAL: HIV Tests to Be Available in Health Centers

Rapid-result tests will soon be available in health centers across the country. Barros said he hopes making the test more widely available will lead more people to take it, and he is looking to add more mobile testing units to the current fleet of three. Barros emphasized that counseling before and after testing remains vitally important.

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medscape

Suicide Rate Declines in HIV-Positive Patients, But Remains High

A nationwide Swiss study shows that after the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996, suicide rates among HIV-positive patients decreased by more than 50%. Nevertheless, the investigators found that in 2008 suicide rates in HIV-infected individuals were more than 3 times higher than the rates of the general population.
From 1988 to 2008, 15,275 HIV-infected patients were followed up for a median duration of 4.7 years. Of these individuals, 150 died by suicide.
The investigators report that in men standardized mortality ratios decreased from 13.7 in the pre-HAART era to 3.5 in the late HAART era. In women, the ratios decreased from 11.6 to 5.7.
The study also showed a link between an increase in CD4 cell counts and a reduced risk for suicide — a finding researchers say suggests that HAART-related improvements are associated with a reduction in suicide rates over time.

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nytimes

Lift weights to boost your brain

Researchers in British Columbia randomly assigned 155 women ages 65 to 75 either to strength training with dumbbells and weight machines once or twice a week, or to a comparison group doing balance and toning exercises. A year later, the women who did strength training had improved their performance on tests of so-called executive function by 10.9 percent to 12.6 percent, while those assigned to balance and toning exercises experienced a slight deterioration — 0.5 percent.

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upi

HIV cases increase in Czech Republic

New known cases of HIV in the Czech Republic rose from 148 in 2008 to 157 last year, federal health officials in Prague said.

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hivandhepatitis

44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL 2009)

The HIV and Hepatitis.com Coverage of the 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL 2009) - April 22 - 26, 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark

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losetheblues

Can a website improve your mood?

A new website, Lose the Blues has been launched at University College Cork (UCC) aimed at students experiencing depressive symptoms.  The website is designed specifically for 18- to 24-year-olds who may be experiencing "low mood to cope with their experiences." The website was developed by Aine Horgan, a PhD student and Psychiatric Nursing lecturer at UCC’s School of Nursing and Midwifery. The website is currently part of a research study being undertaken at UCC by Horgan and supported by Dr John Sweeney and Professor Geraldine McCarthy in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The aim of the research is to see if the website can help improve one’s mood.
Horgan explained: “With depression now the most common mental health problem worldwide, it was agreed that this forum offered the best means of communication for students who may be experiencing low mood to interact with each other.”

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jci

VACCINE DESIGN: Three is better than two when boosting vaccine effectiveness

The team, led by Jay Berzofsky, found that when mice were immunized with an HIV peptide together with three molecules that bound different TLRs they mounted a more effective protective T cell response than did mice immunized with the HIV peptide together with any two of the ligands.

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localtechwire

Can one pill a day keep HIV away? UNC-CH researchers see hope

A daily pill might help people at high risk for exposure to HIV prevent infection, according to research that University of North Carolina scientists conducted with mice.
Researchers transplanted human liver and thymus cells and bone marrow into the mice, giving them fully functioning human immune systems.
"The models that we have today permit us to do experiments that were, frankly, unthinkable just a few years ago," said UNC medicine professor Dr. Victor Garcia-Martinez.
(For more about Dr. Martinez and the search for the "Holy Grail" to combat HIV, click here.)
In 2007, Dr. Garcia-Martinez ranked 11th among scientists with the largest number of grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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sify

Improved, '60,000 times more potent' compound to effectively treat HIV

An American researcher is developing a new compound that could help provide a much-improved alternative strategy for the prevention of HIV Infection.
Stefan Sarafianos, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology in the University of Missouri School of Medicine and investigator in the Christopher Bond Life Sciences Center, said: "This new compound, EFdA, is 60,000 times more potent than any other drug that is currently being used to treat HIV.

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yahoo

Merck reps banned from US AIDS clinics over drug costs

"We've banned representatives from Merck Pharmaceuticals from calling on our physicians in our clinics, which is a common marketing strategy. We are instituting this ban largely because of the egregious pricing policies for their key AIDS drug, Isentress," Ged Kinslea, communications director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), told AFP.
"The drug is a good drug, it has fewer side effects... but it is the single most expensive first-line anti-retroviral treatment for AIDS available in the United States and the developing world," said Kinslea.
An annual course of Isentress costs in the region of 12,870 dollars in the United States, according to AHF.

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sunstar

PHILS: Cebu City gets 1st HIV case for 2010

THE Cebu City Health Office has recorded the first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection for 2010 in the city.
Dr. Ilya Tac-an, head of the Cebu City HIV/Aids Detection Unit, said a 26-year-old man has tested positive of HIV. She said the man was diagnosed in the second week of January.

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[sensual1973]

i find this quiet boring

[John2038]

sensual1973,

In any critics, there is something to learn. So will I probably.
Sorry to bother you. Also, don't forget you are free you read whatever you want, wherever you want.


No enough news on the net today.

[John2038]

NEWS - January 28, 2010

prnewswire

World Cancer Day - 4th February 2010 to Focus on Link Between Infections and Cancer

"Of the 12 million people who are diagnosed with cancer each year around 20% of cases can be attributed to viral and bacterial infections that either directly cause or increase the risk of cancer," said Professor David Hill, UICC President.
Cancers caused by viral or bacterial infections can be prevented through strategies such as vaccination and by adopting lifestyle changes, safe behaviours and other control measures, all of which could be implemented worldwide.

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infectioncontroltoday

“Good” Bacteria Keep Immune System Primed to Fight Future Infections

Scientists have long pondered the seeming contradiction that taking broad-spectrum antibiotics over a long period of time can lead to severe secondary bacterial infections. Now researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine may have figured out why.
The investigators show that "good" bacteria in the gut keep the immune system primed to more effectively fight infection from invading pathogenic bacteria. Altering the intricate dynamic between resident and foreign bacteria – via antibiotics, for example – compromises an animal’s immune response, specifically, the function of white blood cells called neutrophils.

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individual

Stopping Bacterial Infections Without Antibiotics

New research at the A. James Clark School of Engineering could prevent bacterial infections using tiny biochemical machines--nanofactories--that can confuse bacteria and stop them from spreading, without the use of antibiotics.

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medscape

Vitamin D Deficiency Tied to Tenofovir Hyperparathyroidism

In HIV-infected patients, 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is independently associated with tenofovir-linked hyperparathyroidism, according to UK researchers.

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natap

Diagnosis and management of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D insufficiency now seems unequivocally linked to several other common and morbid conditions.
Vitamin D status is most reliably determined by assay of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD).
Individuals with symptomatic osteomalacia or rickets have serum 25-OHD concentrations of less than 25 nmol/l (10 µg/l), reflecting profound vitamin D deficiency.
A much larger proportion of the UK population (about 50% in spring) have vitamin D insufficiency, with serum 25-OHD concentrations between 25 nmol/l and 50 nmol/l (10-20 µg/l).
In adults, calciferol treatment, in a daily dose of 10 000 IU or a weekly dose of 60 000 IU, will lead to restoration of body stores of vitamin D over eight to 12 weeks. Thereafter, a maintenance dose of 1000-2000 IU calciferol daily or 10 000 IU weekly is adequate.

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Association between pre-diagnostic circulating vitamin D concentration and risk of colorectal cancer in European populations:a nested case-control study

The results of this study, which is the largest to date and one of the first based on European populations, show that, compared with a mid-range concentration of 50 to 75.0 nmol/l, circulating 25-(OH)D levels lower than 50.0 nmol/l are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Additionally, higher consumption of dietary calcium, but not dietary vitamin D, was found to be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

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Multiple Benefits Seen for Exercise in Seniors

Ability to walk and perform other daily tasks, avoidance of major chronic diseases, and overall good quality of life -- all were more common in people who exercised at least three times a week, according to four studies published in the Jan. 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Novo Nordisk gets US approval for New Type2 Diabetes Drug Victoza but with warning

The US Food and Drug Administration has given the green light for Victoza (liraglutide), the first once-daily human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue for type 2 diabetes. It can now be sold as a monotherapy, as second-line treatment and in combination with other oral diabetes drugs.

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Achillion Pharma At A Glance: new HIV/HCV drugs

Achillion is currently seeking to enter a collaboration arrangement for Elvucitabine.
Elvucitabine, Achillion's lead HIV product candidate is being evaluated in phase II clinical trials to further explore its safety and efficacy in HIV-infected patients over 48 and 96-weeks of treatment, and the open-label extension of one trial remains ongoing through this year.
ACH-1625, a potent HCV inhibitor, is under phase I study. The preliminary results of a phase Ib study of ACH-1625 reported early this month showed that there is a dramatic reduction in viral load after 5 days of monotherapy and continued suppression of viral load after drug discontinuation.

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Key data from the 11th International Workshop on Adverse Drug Reactions and Co-Morbidities in HIV - Workshop report

Topics: Adipose tissue metabolism and lipodystrophy,Metabolic disorders, Cardiovascular disease, Bone metabolism, Mitochondrial dysfunction, Other toxicities and complications (Ageing, Renal toxicity, Sleep apnea, Cognitive impairment, Malignancies, Hepatitis C virus coinfection).

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aidsmap

Genetic marker may predict heart disease risk in people with HIV

A genetic marker associated with atherosclerosis and oxidative stress in mice and humans is strongly associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and poorer immune recovery in people with HIV, Spanish researchers report in the February 15th edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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New criteria proposed for late HIV diagnosis

New definitions of both late HIV diagnosis and diagnosis with advanced HIV disease have been proposed by UK investigators.

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Kidney dysfunction more frequent, increases risk of death of patients with HIV and hepatitis C co-infection

Hepatitis C co-infection is associated with an increased risk of kidney disease and death for HIV-positive individuals, US investigators report in the February 1st edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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Genetic marker predicts fat loss due to d4T in Thai patients

A genetic marker can predict with a high level of accuracy whether Thai patients receiving antiretroviral therapy that contains d4T (stavudine) will develop lipoatrophy (subcutaneous fat loss) as a result of treatment, researchers from Thailand and Japan report in Clinical Infectious Diseases this week.

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imt

Genetic mutation may predispose to asthma

Mutations in the filaggrin gene among many Irish families predisposes them to develop eczema and this may progress later to asthma, revealed Prof Padraic Fallon, Science Foundation Ireland Stokes Professor of Translational Immunology at TCD’s Institute of Molecular Medicine.

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fool

The Virus-Killer's Killer Quarter

What do you get when you combine swine-flu-boosted royalties with drugs that patients can't stop taking, even in a recession? One profitable company.
Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) closed out 2009 with a solid 42% increase in revenue in the fourth quarter, thanks to its HIV drugs. Atripla, which is a combination of Gilead's Truvada and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE: BMY) Sustiva, finally passed Truvada for the top spot after a 50% increase in sales. Sales of Truvada still held their own with a solid 19% year-over-year increase. Gilead's royalties from Tamiflu, which is sold by Roche, suddenly became the third-biggest revenue source for the quarter. With the swine flu waning, royalties at this level aren't likely to last, but for now they're boosting the top line substantially.

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streetinsider

Highlights From GILD's Q4 Conference Call: Q4 Crossed $2 Billion Mark for First Time in Company History

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) reports Q4 EPS of $0.93, 8 cents better than the analyst estimate of $0.85. Revenue for the quarter was $2.03 billion, which compares to the estimate of $1.93 billion. Shares are up 6.80% today.

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newsobserver

HIV program caps enrollment

The state's drug assistance program for HIV patients has been capped at its current enrollment, with budget cuts hitting at the same time more people need help, state officials said Monday.
The AIDS Drug Assistance Program picks up the cost of life-saving anti-retroviral regimens and other drugs for low-income people infected with HIV.
About 4,400 people are using the drug assistance program, compared with 4,000 this time last year, Clymore said. As of Friday, no more people can be added, she said.

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miamiherald

Miami man gets 22 years for Medicare fraud

A Miami man who used his chain of Medicare clinics to commit fraud and exported the business to other Southern states was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to 22 years in prison.
The local organization run by Michel De Jesus Huarte -- which submitted about $100 million in bogus bills for HIV therapy and other services -- expanded to Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina by using empty storefronts and post office boxes, according to an indictment.
Huarte and his associates, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and other fraud charges last year, collected about $25 million from the federal healthcare program, the indictment says.

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news-medical

NIH to perform exploratory studies on ImmuneRegen BioSciences' Homspera

ImmuneRegen BioSciences Inc.®, a wholly owned subsidiary of IR Biosciences Holdings Inc., today announced the execution of an agreement with the National Institute of Health (NIH) / National Cancer Institute (NCI) to commence studies utilizing ImmuneRegen's Homspera. Under the agreement, the NIH will perform exploratory studies on Homspera relating to mucosal immunity that might lead to subsequent evaluation in models of HIV infection.
The studies to be performed at NIH/NCI are designed to expand on that research and further define the mechanisms that make Homspera an effective vaccine adjuvant.

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springerlink

Predicting response to cognitive-behavioral therapy in a sample of HIV-positive patients with chronic pain

Multivariate regression analysis showed that higher baseline levels of pain–related anxiety were related to greater improvement in pain–related functioning at post–treatment, and non–Caucasian participants reported a greater response to treatment when compared to Caucasian participants. Attendance to CBT treatment sessions focused on progressive muscle relaxation and cognitive reconceptualization of pain were also related to treatment outcome. Non–Caucasian patients reporting higher levels of pain–related anxiety may respond particularly well to treatment. Treatment sessions focused on progressive muscle relaxation and cognitive reconceptualization of pain may be particularly helpful.

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ama-assn

High blood pressure? Try a low-carb diet - study shows reducing carbohydrates lowers blood pressure

A low-carb diet can have a significant effect on high blood pressure. Previous studies have shown that reducing carbohydrate intake provides faster weight loss and improved cholesterol, despite the common assumption that the low-carb diet must be unhealthy.

Full Text Examiner


myfoxny

How to beat normal weight obesity and naturally speed up metabolism

Can you be a normal weight and still be fat? The answer is ‘yes,’ according to a new report from the Mayo Clinic. They call it “normal weight obesity.” The researchers looked at more than 6,000 Americans who had a normal BMI or body mass index. Those with a high percentage body fat had a higher risk of high blood pressure, high blood sugar and future heart problems. So they say it's not enough to just be a normal weight—it’s important to build muscle and be lean also.

Warning
Not specific to HIV+. Please consult your health care provider for better information.

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eatg

Gates says malaria vaccine may be ready in three years

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has told the BBC that a vaccine for malaria could be just three years away.

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Lab-grown liver cells provide model for hepatitis C infection

Researchers have developed a new method for growing human liver cells outside the body. Scientists can now study hepatitis C virus in the lab over a period of weeks – which may boost efforts to develop a vaccine or broadly effective treatment for the infection.

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medicalnewstoday

Minnesota HIV Statistics Point To Troubling Increase In Young Adults; Particularly In Young Gay/Bisexual Men

According to statistics released today by the Minnesota Department of Health, 368 confirmed new cases of HIV were reported in Minnesota during 2009.

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news-medical

Particle Sciences to share responsibilities in developing anti-HIV microbicides

Particle Sciences, a leading drug development CRO, will share formulation, analytic and production responsibilities in an effort to develop a vaginally administered microbicide, a product specifically designed to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.

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theaustralian

Migrants with HIV, cancer allowed to settle

CHRONICALLY ill foreign workers and their families, including those with HIV-AIDS, will be allowed to settle in Australia for the first time as the Immigration Department loosens its stringent health rules to alleviate the skills shortage.

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jimmunol

Peripheral Blood CCR4+CCR6+ and CXCR3+CCR6+ CD4+ T Cells Are Highly Permissive to HIV-1 Infection

The authors have identified CCR4+CCR6+ and CXCR3+CCR6+ T cells as highly permissive to HIV replication, with potential to infiltrate and recruit more CCR6+ T cells into anatomic sites of viral replication. It is necessary that new therapeutic strategies against HIV interfere with viral replication/persistence in discrete CCR6+ T cell subsets.

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pnas

Detecting and understanding combinatorial mutation patterns responsible for HIV drug resistance 

The authors have demonstrated the usefulness of this systematic procedure on three HIV drugs, (Indinavir, Zidovudine, and Nevirapine), discovered unique interaction features between viral mutations induced by these drugs, and revealed the structural basis of such interactions.

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sciencedirect

Elimination of helminth infection restores HIV-1C vaccine-specific T cell responses independent of helminth-induced IL-10

Restoration of HIV–1C vaccine–specific T cell responses following elimination of helminth infection was time dependent, but surprisingly independent of the levels of IL–4 and IL–10 induced by parasite antigens. The study shows that elimination of worms offers an affordable and a simple means to restore immune responsiveness to T cell based vaccines for HIV–1 and other infectious diseases in helminth endemic settings.

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rsmjournals

Couples at risk for HIV infection in Southern India: characteristics of HIV-infected patients in concordant and discordant heterosexual relationships

The couples–based interventions and the provision of HAART could substantially decrease behavioural and clinical correlates of HIV transmission among discordant South Indian married couples. The spouses of HIV–infected index patients are at increased risk for HIV infection, and further preventive measures are needed.

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[John2038]

NEWS - January 29, 2010
catie

Caution urged when switching regimens

Merck and Company, Inc., the developer of raltegravir (known as Merck Sharp & Dohme, or MSD, outside of North America) has conducted two clinical trials in which some users of lopinavir-ritonavir-based regimens had this combination replaced with raltegravir. The studies were prematurely halted because of unexpectedly higher rates of virologic failure among some raltegravir users. The possible reasons for this unexpected finding and the implications for decision-making about switching therapies are discussed later in this report.

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medicalnewstoday

New Vaccine Effective In Preventing TB In HIV-positive Patients

Results from clinical trials conducted in Tanzania show that a new vaccine against tuberculosis, Mycobacterium vaccae (MV), is effective in preventing tuberculosis in people with HIV infection.

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hivandhepatitis

Elevated ALT Liver Enzymes in HIV Patients without Hepatitis B or C Are Linked to High Viral Load, Obesity, Alcohol, and Some NRTIs

"Our results confirm that the main causes of chronic liver disease in HIV-infected patients without hepatitis B and C coinfections are alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and antiretroviral drugs," the study authors wrote. High BMI is a risk factor for steatosis, or fatty liver.

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sciencedaily

Immune Memory Formation Seen in Early Stages of Viral Infection

In an acute viral infection, most of the white blood cells known as T cells differentiate into cells that fight the virus and die off in the process. But a few of these "effector" T cells survive and become memory T cells, ensuring that the immune system can respond faster and stronger the next time around.

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medscape

Tetraspanins Regulate Cell-to-cell Transmission of HIV-1

Altogether, our results provide evidence for an active role of tetraspanins in cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1, a process that may be crucial for virus spread in vivo and one which is only beginning to be understood. Because individual tetraspanins are not essential for host cell survival, they may provide an avenue for therapeutic intervention with the virus life cycle.

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Intensive Chemotherapy May Help in Poor-Risk, Localized Rectal Cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with 2 agents — instead of just 1 — before standard treatment is feasible in poor-risk, potentially operable, localized rectal cancer, concludes a new phase 2 study of 105 patients published online January 26 in The Lancet Oncology.

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aidsmap

Progestogen-only hormonal contraception linked to metabolic problems in HIV-positive women

HIV-positive women using progestogen-only hormonal contraception may be at increased risk for negative metabolic outcomes, warned researchers in a recent article in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

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ctv

Canada, Gates Foundation scrap HIV vaccine plant

The federal government and the Gates Foundation have agreed not to proceed with plans to fund construction in Canada of a facility to make pilot lots of experimental HIV vaccines, sources have told The Canadian Press.
The project, first announced in February 2007, was to cost nearly $90 million, with $28 million of that coming from the Gates Foundation. It was part of the larger Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative, a project for which Canada had earmarked $111 million.

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asm

A Single Amino Acid Difference in Human APOBEC3H Variants Determines HIV-1 Vif Sensitivity

In contrast to A3H_HapII, A3H_Haplotype I (HapI), which differs in only three amino acids from A3H_HapII, was resistant to HIV–1 Vif–mediated degradation. The authors also found that residue 121 was critical for determining A3H sensitivity and binding to HIV–1 Vif

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bbc

Overweight elderly 'live longer'

Moderately overweight elderly people may live longer than those of normal weight, an Australian study suggest.

Warning
Not specific to HIV+. Please consult your health care provider for better information.

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HIV woman challenges removal from Northern Ireland

An HIV-positive South African woman is challenging being removed from NI by immigration authorities.

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nih

Durability of initial antiretroviral therapy in a resource-constrained setting and the potential need for Zidovudine weight-based dosing.

Lower baseline weight and lower CD4 values at ART initiation were associated with decreased regimen durability. Compared with didanosine/stavudine, AZT use initially increased, then subsequently (>120 days) lowered hazards for regimen discontinuation. Weight <60 kg was associated with an increased risk of toxicity-related AZT discontinuation. As ART use expands globally, further study into maximally durable, least toxic regimens, and the role of weight-based AZT dosing is imperative.

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Incident depression symptoms are associated with poorer HAART adherence: a longitudinal analysis from the nutrition for healthy living study.

Incident depression symptoms were associated with subsequent suboptimal HAART adherence. Ongoing aggressive screening for, and treatment of, depression may improve HAART outcomes.

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Hepatitis C and the Risk of Kidney Disease and Mortality in Veterans With HIV.

CKD is prevalent in HIV-infected veterans and associated with substantially higher mortality. Compared with their monoinfected counterparts, veterans coinfected with HCV have significantly higher rates of CKD and mortality.

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IL-21 enhances NK cell functions and survival in healthy and HIV-infected patients with minimal stimulation of viral replication.

These data suggest that IL-21 may serve as a valuable therapeutic tool for enhancing NK cell responses and inhibiting viral replication in HIV-infected patients.

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aidsportal

UK: Manchester researchers join international research project on HIV treatment

Researchers at The University of Manchester are to take part in an EU project which aims to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of support for HIV positive people in southern Africa.

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 1, 2010

aegis

UNITED KINGDOM: Women Urged to Have Smear Tests

During UK Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (Jan. 24-30), health authorities have been reminding women of the importance of undergoing regular Pap tests to check for the disease.

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SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS Ignorance in South Africa Is Down, Survey Says

Results from the Second National HIV and AIDS Communication Survey (NCS) 2009 show awareness and prevention efforts are influencing behaviors in South Africa.

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GLOBAL: Report Criticizes PEPFAR Program

A new report issued by the Council for Global Equality and the Center for American Progress criticizes the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief as putting politics ahead of HIV prevention science.

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MASSACHUSETTS: AIDS and the Challenges of Aging

Of the 250 HIV patients seen by Cape Cod Healthcare's Infectious Disease Clinical Services unit, approximately a dozen are age 70 or older, said Medical Director Alan Sugar.

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We must make this the decade of vaccines

U.S. philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates say their foundation will spend a record $10 billion over 10 years to develop vaccines for AIDS and other diseases.
"We must make this the decade of vaccines," Bill Gates said Friday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Note
Thanks Bill and Melinda Gates ! From the heart.

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unaids

UNAIDS commends commitment by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advancing vaccine research and developmen

UNAIDS strongly applauds today’s announcement by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to invest USD 10 billion into research and development of vaccines over the next 10 years.
"The best hope for ending the AIDS epidemic lies in a developing a vaccine."

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nature

Retroviral intasome assembly and inhibition of DNA strand transfer

Our findings define the structural basis of retroviral DNA integration, and will allow modelling of the HIV-1 intasome to aid in the development of antiretroviral drugs.

Note
This is the research studying the structure of retrovirus enzyme Integrase. Now published in Nature (advance online publication)

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business-standard

Drug patent regime has led to high prices: US Study

Other reasons include transfer of marketing rights to larger companies and mergers and acquisitions among drug companies.

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pharmatimes

B-MS looking at acquisitions and definitely 'not for sale'

Sales of the Sustiva franchise rose 19% to $358 million, and Reyataz was up 18% to $388 million. Revenues from Baraclude for hepatitis B climbed 39% to $212 million.

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news-medical

Findings could guide in developing more effective vaccines for HIV/AIDS and cancer

Scientists have identified a molecule that defines which cells are destined to become memory T cells just a few days after a viral infection begins. The finding could guide the development of more effective vaccines for challenging infections such as HIV/AIDS and also cancer.

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New vaccine effective in preventing TB in HIV patients

The study found that MV immunization reduced the rate of definite tuberculosis by 39 percent among 2,000 HIV-infected patients in Tanzania.

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conatuspharma

Conatus Pharmaceuticals initiates Phase II clinical trial in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for the treatment of hepatitis C virus

Conatus Pharmaceuticals announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial evaluating CTS-1027 in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in refractory HCV patients.

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medscape

Maternal Antiretroviral Use Not Tied to Congenital Abnormalities

In women with HIV, antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy does not seem to cause congenital abnormalities, a Latin American study suggests.

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aidsmap

Second-line ART in South Africa shows good results

High rates of increased CD4 cell counts and viral suppression, together with low mortality were seen in adults at a large HIV public-sector urban clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa after one year on second-line antiretroviral therapy, Matthew P. Fox and colleagues report in a study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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yankton

New HIV, AIDS Cases Down In S.D.

SIOUX FALLS (AP) — The number of new HIV or AIDS cases in South Dakota in 2009 was the smallest in five years.

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inquirer

PHILS: More HIV/AIDS cases linked to Internet boom

The Department of Health (DOH) has said Internet social networking sites have provided a venue for young people to find partners in risky sex that usually leads to cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the country.

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thelancet

Switch to a raltegravir-based regimen versus continuation of a lopinavir-ritonavir-based regimen in stable HIV-infected patients with suppressed viraemia (SWITCHMRK 1 and 2): two multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trials

Although switching to raltegravir was associated with greater reductions in serum lipid concentrations than was continuation of lopinavir–ritonavir, efficacy results did not establish non–inferiority of raltegravir to lopinavir–ritonavir.

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asm

Identification of the Cellular Prohibitin 1/Prohibitin 2 Heterodimer as an Interaction Partner of the C-Terminal Cytoplasmic Domain of the HIV-1 Glycoprotein

These results point to binding of the Phb1/Phb2 complex to the Env–CT as being of importance for replicative spread in nonpermissive cells, possibly by modulating critical Phb–dependent cellular process(es).

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biomedcentral

Association of HIV infection with distribution and viral load of HPV types in Kenya: a survey with 820 female sex workers

HIV–infected sex workers had almost four–fold higher prevalence of high–risk HPV, raised viral load and more precancerous lesions. HPV 16 and HPV 18, preventable with current vaccines, were associated with cervical disease, though other high–risk types were commoner. HIV–infected sex workers likely contribute disproportionately to HPV transmission dynamics in the general population.

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rsmjournals

An assessment of risk behaviours to HIV/AIDS vulnerability among young female garment workers in Bangladesh

Information through radio, through health service provider and drug abuse had significant odds in having sex with multiple sex partners, while information through health service provider, knowledge and multiple sex partners had significant odds in drug abuse. Thus, garment workers are at risk of HIV/AIDS due to low education, lack of knowledge, STIs/STDs and risky behaviour.

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Decrease of initial CD4+ T-cell counts at the time of diagnosis of HIV infection in Korea; 1988-2006 

The results suggest that HIV diagnoses in recent years are being made in later stages of HIV infection and that it is imperative to develop more efficient programmes for early HIV diagnosis to prevent transmission.

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HIV stigma, disclosure and psychosocial distress among Thai youth living with HIV

The 12–item Stigma Scale score was significantly associated with mental health problems. Public attitudes towards HIV were associated with poorer quality of life and mental health problems. The 12–item Stigma Scale was reliable for TYLH. Increasing public understanding and education could reduce stigma and improve mental health and quality of life in TYLH.

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outandaboutnewspaper

Overcoming the stigma of life with HIV

“It was scary. I didn’t want to put my status on my online profiles … Trying to figure out that type of timeline [of when to tell someone] got so burdensome,” he said. “[People assume] you were dirty or you were a whore or you were a drug user.”

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nih

Current strategies and limitations of HIV vaccines

In this review, several of the key milestones achieved as a result of research efforts aimed at developing an effective HIV vaccine are identified, and future prospects are examined.

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GSK-1349572, a novel integrase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV infection

GSK-1349572 (S/GSK-1349572), under development by ViiV Healthcare and Shionogi & Co Ltd, is the lead from a series of HIV integrase inhibitors, for the potential oral treatment of HIV infection. Initial evaluation of the drug in an in vitro integrase strand assay demonstrated specific inhibition of recombinant integrase. Inhibition of the integrase strand transfer reaction by GSK-1349572 was later confirmed in a cell-based assay, and the drug also displayed in vitro activity against integrase-resistant clinical isolates from patients experiencing virological failure while receiving raltegravir. The pharmacokinetic profile of GSK-1349572 supports once-daily dosing without the requirement for boosting with ritonavir. In phase I and II clinical trials, in healthy volunteers and in patients with HIV-1 infection, side effects of GSK-1349572 were generally similar to placebo; no consistent relationship was observed between the frequency of adverse events and either the dose or duration of treatment with GSK-1349572. At the time of publication, phase IIb trials of GSK-1349572 were ongoing in antiretroviral-naïve and -experienced patients. With the high demand for second-generation integrase inhibitors for antiretroviral-experienced patients and for once-daily drugs without ritonavir-boosting for treatment-naïve patients, this second-generation integrase inhibitor has the potential to become a highly valued product.

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Mathematical models used in the study of infectious diseases

Of 617 possible articles, 162 were finally selected. The evolution of articles by years shows a rising trend since 2005. The most-common disease types were unespecified infectious diseases, HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Among mathematical models there was a predominance of stochastic models. The most-common country of the first author included the European countries, especially UK and USA. The most-widely used model of transmission was the SIR model (21 cases/45l). Of the 58 articles which identified a statistical technique, 12 (20.7%) used generalized linear models and 11 (19.0%) used Markov models. Conclusions: There is growing interest in the modelling of communicable diseases and substantial innovations may be expected in forthcoming years, above all if their use is extended and applied to "forgotten" communicable diseases or other health problems.

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Parasitic diseases of the central nervous system

Besides differentiating parasitic diseases of the nervous system seen in migrants, tourists etc., it is very important to have in mind that disease-related (e.g. HIV) or iatrogenic immunosuppression has led to the increased occurrence of a wide variety of parasitic infections and infestations of the nervous system (e. g. babesiosis, Chagas disease, Strongyloides stercoralis infestation, toxoplasmosis, etc.).

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 2, 2010 - PART I/II
aidsmap

Adherence: study shows protease inhibitors more forgiving of missed doses, even when treatment out of date

Less than perfect adherence to HIV treatment regimens significantly increases the risk of resistance developing to drugs in the NNRTI and NRTI classes, investigators report in the January 28th edition of AIDS

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asm

Influence of Alpha-1 Glycoprotein Acid Concentrations and Variants on Atazanavir Pharmacokinetics in HIV-Infected Patients Included in the ANRS 107 Trial  

The in vivo results indicate that atazanavir pharmacokinetics is moderately influenced by its protein binding, especially to AAG, without expected clinical consequences.

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Resistance-Associated Mutations to Etravirine in Antiretroviral-Naive Patients Infected with Non-B HIV-1 Subtypes  

The prevalence of ETR RAMs in treatment–naive patients infected with non–B HIV–1 subtypes was 10 percent, in most cases this had no significant impact on ETR susceptibility. However, the transmission of drug–resistant viruses with Y

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Ex Vivo Comparison of Microbicide Efficacies for Preventing HIV-1 Genomic Integration in Intraepithelial Vaginal Cells

The results highlight the merit of the model for screening the mucosal efficacies of novel microbicides and their formulations and potentially rank ordering candidates for clinical evaluation.

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TMC278, a Next-Generation Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, Active against Wild-Type and NNRTI-Resistant HIV-1

The rates of selection of TMC278–resistant strains were comparable among HIV–1 group M subtypes. NNRTI RAMs emerging in HIV–1 under selective pressure from TMC278 included combinations of V90I, L100I, K101E, V106A/I, V108I, E138G/K/Q/R, V179F/I, Y181C/I, V189I, G190E, H221Y, F227C, and M230I/L. E138R was identified as a new NNRTI RAM. These in vitro analyses demonstrate that TMC278 is a potent next–generation NNRTI, with a high genetic barrier to resistance development.

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Epitope Switching as a Novel Escape Mechanism of HIV to CCR5 Monoclonal Antibodies

Using CCR5 receptor mutants, the authors show that MAb3952–resistant virus strains preferentially use the N terminus of CCR5, while the wild–type viruses preferentially use ECL–2. They propose this switch in the CCR5 binding site as a novel mechanism of HIV resistance.

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ucla

Researchers find 'broad spectrum' antiviral that fights multitude of viruses

In a proof-of-principle study published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers have identified an antiviral small molecule that is effective against numerous viruses, including HIV-1, influenza A, filoviruses, poxviruses, arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, paramyxoviruses and flaviviruses. These viruses cause some of the world's deadliest diseases, such as AIDS, Nipah virus encephalitis, Ebola, hemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley fever.
Even better, the compound — a rhodanine derivative that the researchers have dubbed LJ001 — could be effective against new, yet-to-be discovered enveloped viruses.  The study is available in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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medicalnewstoday

Early Intervention Important To Decrease STDs, HIV, Pregnancy

A new study weighs in on the controversy over sex education, finding that an abstinence-only intervention for pre-teens was more successful in delaying the onset of sexual activity than a health-promotion control intervention. After two years, one-third of the abstinence-only group reported having sex, compared to one-half of the control group. The study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania appears in the February 1 edition of the Archives of Pediatrics & A

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aegis

Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

African-Americans continue to bear the largest and most disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS of all racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

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CALIFORNIA: HIV Scientific Report Back

On Feb. 4, the AIDS Policy Project and Project Inform will co- host a meeting presenting information reported at December's fourth International Workshop on HIV Persistence During Therapy. Speakers will include Romas Geleziunas, PhD, a Gilead director who attended the meeting; HIV specialist Dr. Rick Loftus; APP's Stephen LeBlanc; and Matt Sharp, PI's director of treatment and prevention advocacy. The forum will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the LGBT Community Center, 2800 Market St., San Francisco. To RSVP, e-mail info@aidspolicyproject.org.

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sciencedaily

Onset of Sexual Activity in Tweens Delayed by Theory-Based Abstinence-Only Program

A new study weighs in on the controversy over sex education, finding that an abstinence-only intervention for pre-teens was more successful in delaying the onset of sexual activity than a health-promotion control intervention. After two years, one-third of the abstinence-only group reported having sex, compared to one-half of the control group. The study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania appears in the February 1 edition of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
"Abstinence-only interventions may have an important role in delaying sexual activity until a time later in life when the adolescent is more prepared to handle to consequences of sex. This can reduce undesirable consequences of sex, including pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS."

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swissinfo

HIV cases fall among gay men

The rate of new infections of HIV, the virus that causes Aids, among homosexual men has dropped for the first time since 2001, according to the Federal Health Office.
Figures released on Monday showed there were almost 100 fewer cases in 2009 than the previous year, a decline of 25 per cent.

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belfasttelegraph

HIV-positive woman ‘used faked papers to work at care homes'

A HIV-positive South African woman allegedly confessed to using counterfeit documents to get work at care homes in Northern Ireland, the High Court in Belfast has heard.

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wsj

White House Proposes 9% Increase in Global-Health Funding

The proposal was accompanied by the release of a set of ambitious targets to be achieved by 2014, including getting 1.6 million more people into drug treatment for HIV/AIDS, cutting the prevalence of malaria by 50%, and reducing the number of deaths of mothers and children under 5 years old.

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guardian

Fighting HIV in developing countries – with tobacco plants to create antibodies



Tobacco plants may become an unlikely ally in the fight against HIV in developing countries.

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nih

Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient treated with imatinib mesylate for chronic myeloid leukemia

We present a case of a patient with CML who developed KS 12 months after starting treatment with imatinib 400 mg/d. The mechanism behind the development of the cutaneous lesions is unclear, and could have either a casual clinical association or be related to the study drug. According to the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale, the development of KS in this case was probably associated with the imatinib treatment (score, 5-8).

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Use of novel antiretroviral agents in rescue regimens: A case of early virological failure to raltegravir

In patients with virological failure during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and drug resistance, guidelines recommend the achievement of maximal virological suppression by the use of a new regimen with at least 2 active drugs. We describe the clinical outcome of a heavily antiretroviral-experienced patient who experienced early failure to raltegravir.

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examiner

Food for athletes and the olympian diet: Daily protein needs less than for sedentary people

Contrary to popular belief, an increasing amount of research suggests that athletes, olympians, and avid exercisers may need less protein than is thought to be required. Furthermore regarding food for athletes, daily protein needs for athletes may be less than those needed for sedentary people.
Research conducted by Rennie and Tipton (2000), Butterfield and Calloway (1984), and Phillips (2004) suggests that protein metabolism may actually become more efficient with increased physical activity and as a result, athletes and avid exercisers do not require extra dietary protein. Excess protein in the diet is stored as adipose tissue (fat), which interferes with optimal performance and good health. Protein requirement for athletes is thought to be .65 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

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EDIT:
Link

[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 2, 2010 - PART II/IIjaids

Trends in HIV Prevalence, Estimated HIV Incidence, and Risk Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Bangkok, Thailand, 2003-2007

Our data suggest that after a strong increase from 2003 to 2005, the HIV prevalence among MSM in Bangkok may have begun to stabilize. Given the continuing high levels of risk behavior and the estimated high HIV incidence in young MSM, additional HIV preventive interventions are necessary.

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The Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Prevalent Cardiovascular Diseases Among HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Men

Among HIV-infected men, hazardous drinking and alcohol abuse and dependence were associated with a higher prevalence of CVD compared with infrequent and moderate drinking even after adjusting for traditional CVD risk factors, antiretroviral therapy, and CD4 count.

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Short-Term Bone Loss in HIV-Infected Premenopausal Women

In premenopausal HIV+ women, index BMD was lower than comparable HIV− women; however, rates of bone loss at the LS and FN were similar over 2.5 years of observation, irrespective of antiretroviral therapy.

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Comparison of Early CD4 T-Cell Count in HIV-1 Seroconverters in Cote d'Ivoire and France: The ANRS PRIMO-CI and SEROCO Cohorts

CD4+ count and percentage were lower in CI than in France. These differences were already observed during early infection and remained similar after adjustment.

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Hepatitis C and the Risk of Kidney Disease and Mortality in Veterans With HIV

CKD is prevalent in HIV-infected veterans and associated with substantially higher mortality. Compared with their monoinfected counterparts, veterans coinfected with HCV have significantly higher rates of CKD and mortality.

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Pooled Nucleic Acid Testing to Identify Antiretroviral Treatment Failure During HIV Infection

Virologic monitoring during antiretroviral therapy is not currently being performed in many resource-constrained settings largely because of costs. The presented pooling strategies may be used to significantly reduce the cost compared with individual testing, make such monitoring feasible, and limit the development and transmission of HIV drug resistance in resource-constrained settings. They may also be used to design efficient pooling strategies for other settings with quantitative screening measures.

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Prediction of HIV Type 1 Subtype C Tropism by Genotypic Algorithms Built From Subtype B Viruses

The genotypic determinants of coreceptor usage for HIV-1 subtype C were mainly in V3 and were globally similar to those previously reported for subtype B viruses. The main genotypic algorithms built from subtype B viruses perfor

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Sustainability of First-Line Antiretroviral Regimens: Findings From a Large HIV Treatment Program in Western Kenya

These data suggest a moderate incidence of cART changes and discontinuations among this large population of adults in western Kenya. Mostly occurring within 12 months of cART initiation, and primarily due to toxicity, older individuals, those with more advanced disease, and those using zidovudine are at higher risk of experiencing a change or a discontinuation in their cART.

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Pairwise Comparison of Isogenic HIV-1 Viruses: R5 Phenotype Replicates More Efficiently Than X4 Phenotype in Primary CD4+ T Cells Expressing Physiological Levels of CXCR4

When CD4+ T cells express physiological levels of CXCR4 coreceptors, R5 virions are more fit for replication than X4 virions and in vivo that limited surface expression of CXCR4 on cell targets could contribute to the preponderance of R5 viruses.

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Incident Depression Symptoms Are Associated With Poorer HAART Adherence: A Longitudinal Analysis From the Nutrition for Healthy Living Study

Incident depression symptoms were associated with subsequent suboptimal HAART adherence. Ongoing aggressive screening for, and treatment of, depression may improve HAART outcomes.

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Insulin Sensitivity in Multiple Pathways Is Differently Affected During Zidovudine/Lamivudine-Containing Compared With NRTI-Sparing Combination Antiretroviral Therapy

Treatment with ZDV/3TC/LPV/r versus NVP/LPV/r differentially affects glucose and lipid metabolism. The ZDV/3TC/LPV/r regimen induced peripheral insulin resistance, a transient increase in basal lipolysis and a transient decrease in insulin-mediated inhibition of lipolysis, whereas hepatic insulin sensitivity improved with the NVP/LPV/r regimen.

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Durability of Initial Antiretroviral Therapy in a Resource-Constrained Setting and the Potential Need for Zidovudine Weight-Based Dosing

Lower baseline weight and lower CD4 values at ART initiation were associated with decreased regimen durability. Compared with didanosine/stavudine, AZT use initially increased, then subsequently (>120 days) lowered hazards for regimen discontinuation. Weight <60 kg was associated with an increased risk of toxicity-related AZT discontinuation. As ART use expands globally, further study into maximally durable, least toxic regimens, and the role of weight-based AZT dosing is imperative.

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Pharmacokinetic Interaction of Ritonavir-Boosted Elvitegravir and Maraviroc

During elvitegravir/r plus maraviroc administration, no elvitegravir or ritonavir dose change and a reduced 150-mg dose of maraviroc are recommended.

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healthfinder

Study Suggests High HIV Rate Among African Teens

In a study that highlights the growing crisis of birth-acquired HIV in teens and young adults, new research has found that nearly 50 percent of youths aged 10 to 18 who were admitted to two public hospitals in Zimbabwe were infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

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finanznachrichten

GeoVax Labs, Inc. to Present at the 12th Annual BIO CEO & Investor Conference

GeoVaxtoday announced that Robert McNally, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer, will present a corporate update at the 12th Annual BIO CEO&Investor Conference.
The presentation will take place at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2010 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 3, 2010
aidsmap

Tesamorelin safe and effective for fat accumulation in patients taking HIV treatment

Treatment with tesamorelin significantly improves visceral fat accumulation in patients with HIV, an international team of investigators report in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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New heat-stable ritonavir tablet approved in Europe

The new heat-stable formulation of ritonavir (Norvir) has been approved in the European Union, manufacturer Abbott announced this week.

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medscape

Efavirenz-Based HAART Most Effective First Treatment of Advanced HIV Infection

Efavirenz (EFV)-based therapy is more effective than lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r)-based therapy in antiretroviral-naive HIV patients with "very advanced" infections, new research shows.

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medicalnewstoday

New Vaccine Effective In Preventing TB In HIV-Positive Patients Phase III Trials Prove To Be A "Significant Milestone" In Vaccination Research

Results from clinical trials conducted in Tanzania show that a new vaccine against tuberculosis, Mycobacterium vaccae (MV), is effective in preventing tuberculosis in people with HIV infection. Findings from the trials, which were conducted by investigators from Dartmouth Medical School in the United States, will be published in the next issue of AIDS, the leading journal in the field of HIV and AIDS research. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

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Two Studies Find Artefill(R) To Be A Long-Term Treatment Option For Facial Lipoatrophy

Suneva Medical, a privately-held aesthetic medical device company, announced that two clinical studies suggest Artefill may be a safe, effective, long-term treatment option for age-related and HIV lipoatrophy patients. The studies were presented at the Advances in Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology's "Maui Derm 2010" Meeting in Maui, Hawaii January 23-27th and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology (AACS) Scientific Meeting in Orlando, Florida January 28-31st.

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eatg

Kaletra package insert revision regarding drug-drug interaction information

FDA approved revisions to the Kaletra package insert to include drug-drug interaction information for concurrent Kaletra administration with inhaled medicines such as salmeterol or salmeterol in combination with fluticasone propionate (Serevent, Advair) and sildenafil (Revatio).

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SAfrica's Aspen in $1 mln TB drugs deal with Eli Lilly

Aspen Pharmacare, Africa's biggest generic drugmaker, has signed a $1 million agreement with Eli Lilly to manufacture generic versions of the U.S. firm's tuberculosis medicines.

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G8 urged to incorporate child health in AIDS response

The International AIDS Society (IAS) has challenged the world’s wealthiest nations to incorporate child health activities in their response to AIDS.

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300 branded drug prices slashed in Ireland

Research-based drugmakers in Ireland cut the prices of almost 300 of their most widely-prescribed medicines by 40% yesterday, in a move aimed at saving the state 94 million euros over the next full year.

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asm

Antiviral Efficacy of the Novel Compound BIT225 against HIV-1 Release from Human Macrophages

The activity of BIT225 is post–virus integration, with no direct effects on the HIV–1 enzymes RT and protease. The findings of this study suggest that BIT225 is a late–phase inhibitor of the viral life cycle, targeting Vpu, and is a drug capable of significantly inhibiting HIV–1 release from both acute and chronically infected macrophages.

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Blockade of X4-Tropic HIV-1 Cellular Entry by GSK812397, a Potent Noncompetitive CXCR4 Receptor Antagonist

GSK812397 is a potent entry inhibitor of X4–tropic strains of HIV–1, as demonstrated in multiple in vitro cellular assays and a viral human osteosarcoma assay. The data demonstrate that GSK812397 has antiviral activity against a broad range of X4–utilizing strains of HIV–1 via a noncompetitive antagonism of the CXCR4 receptor.

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Development of an Allele-Specific PCR for Detection of the K65R Resistance Mutation in Patients Infected with Subtype C Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

The selection of drug–resistant variants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is an impediment to the efficiency of antiretroviral therapy. The authors have developed an allele–specific real–time PCR assay to explore the presence of K65R minority species among treated HIV–1 subtype B and C infections. Thirty HIV–1 subtype C– and 26 subtype B–infected patients lacking K65R as determined by conventional sequencing methods were studied, and viral minority species were found in four HIV–1 subtype C samples.

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Panel of Prototypical Raltegravir-Resistant Infectious Molecular Clones in a Novel Integrase-Deleted Cloning Vector

The authors created an HIV–1 cloning vector, pNL4.3IN, to generate recombinant infectious molecular clones for analysis of patient–derived HIV–1 integrase coding regions. Using this vector, they constructed a panel of clinically derived viruses with the canonical patterns of raltegravir resistance mutations and submitted the panel to the NIH AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program. Investigational integrase inhibitors with activity against these clones are likely to retain activity against the most clinically relevant raltegravir–resistant variants.

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Chloroquine Modulates HIV-1-Induced Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Alpha Interferon: Implication for T-Cell Activation

The results indicate that TLR stimulation and production of IFN–alpha by pDC contribute to immune activation and that blocking of these pathways using chloroquine may interfere with events contributing to HIV pathogenesis. The results suggests that a safe, well–tolerated drug such as chloroquine can be proposed as an adjuvant therapeutic candidate along with highly active antiretroviral therapy to control immune activation in HIV–1 infection.

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informaworld

AIDS stigma as an obstacle to uptake of HIV testing: evidence from a Zimbabwean national population-based survey

Programmatic strategies aimed at increasing HIV testing uptake should consider reducing stigma toward people living with HIV/AIDS and also addressing the role of agency and structure in individual's decision to be tested for HIV.

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sciencedirect

AID-mediated somatic hypermutation for generation of viral envelope protein diversity in patient-specific therapeutic HIV vaccines based on induction of neutralizing antibodies

The article represents a vaccination against R5–X4 HIV–1 switching, might open possibilities for creation of patient–specific therapeutic HIV vaccines based on induction of neutralizing antibodies.

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NK cell activation by KIR-binding antibody 1-7F9 and response to HIV-infected autologous cells in viremic and controller HIV-infected patients

The study shows the role of inhibitory HLA–C ligands in the capacity of NK cells to recognize autologous infected T cells. The authors measured NK cell degranulation in vitro in viremic patients, controllers with low viremia, and healthy donors. No difference in NK cell response to uninfected compared to HIV–1IIIB infected targets was observed. Activation of NK cells was regulated by KIRs, because NK cell degranulation was increased by 1–7F9, a human antibody that binds KIR2DL1/L2/L3 and KIR2DS1/S2, and this effect was most pronounced in KIR haplotype B individuals.

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Immunologic activity and safety of autologous HIV RNA-electroporated dendritic cells in HIV-1 infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy

Mild adverse events included flu–like symptoms, fatigue, and injection site reactions. No evidence of autoimmunity, changes in viral load, or significant changes in absolute CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts were observed. This pilot study supports the further clinical investigation of AGS–004.

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Granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease in common variable immunodeficiency

This review discusses in detail pathologic and clinical features of GLILD and its proposed pathogenesis with a particular attention to potential role of human herpesvirus 8. Therapeutic approach is discussed to generate novel treatment strategy to better care for a subgroup of CVID patients afflicted with this entity.

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springerlink

Nd:YAG Laser-Assisted Liposuction for an HIV patient

The authors believe that lipolaser–assisted liposuction using the Smartlipo Deka–Mela neodymium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Nd:YAG) 1,064–mm–long pulse is effective in reducing the cervicodorsal fat pad. The technique is performed using local anesthesia with low operative risks and minimal surgical trauma. The treated zone shows rapid healing, and the whole procedure requires a day–hospital recovery, thus reducing the costs.

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febsletters

Omega 3 DHA might prevent brain cell death and help you avoid Alzheimer's

People who suffer the effects of neuro-degenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's, may find new hope according to a recent study conducted at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.
Professor Leigh Ackland, molecular biologist and project leader at Deakin University stated, "We found that when the level of (omega 3) DHA in neuronal (brain) cells drop, the level of zinc rises. The higher levels of zinc can be toxic, resulting in cell death. This type of cell death is a key feature of neuro-degenerative diseases."

Full Text - Examiner


ottawacitizen

Fewer HIV patients becoming drug-resistant: B.C. study

The study, published in the Jan. 1 edition of Clinical Infections Diseases, reports that from 1996-2008 there has been a 12-fold decrease in drug resistance.

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pharmacyeurope

Stress drugs 'must work with body'

Drugs which follow the body's 'natural rhythms' may have a better chance of fighting stress, researchers have found.

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aahivm

AAHIVM “Pleased, but Not Satisfied” with the President’s Recommended Budget for HIV Care

The country’s largest independent HIV provider organization, the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), praised President Obama’s proposed budget increases for HIV care, which stand in contrast to budget cuts and flat funding for most domestic programs.  However, AAHIVM warned that the numbers fall short to adequately care for the country’s HIV patient population and properly support HIV providers.

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[Inchlingblue]

Efavirenz (EFV)-based therapy is more effective than lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r)-based therapy in antiretroviral-naive HIV patients with "very advanced" infections, new research shows.

Full Text

 

Just because it's more effective than lopinavir/ritonavir does not mean EFV-based therapy is the most effective of any HAART. Did this study look at other PIs or Integrase Inhibitors?

[John2038]

Hi Itchingblue

The study was comparing EFV based therapy against LPV/r based therapy in naive patients in a very advanced stage of the infection. In this context, this study say that EFV based therapy is more effective.

John

[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 4, 2010

asm

High Concentration of Raltegravir in Semen of HIV-Infected Men: Results from a Substudy of the EASIER-ANRS 138 Trial

Semen and plasma HIV–1 RNA levels were below 100 copies/ml and 50 copies/ml, respectively, in all samples. The median raltegravir concentrations in semen samples and in plasma samples drawn simultaneously were 345 ng/ml and 206 ng/ml, respectively. The median semen–to–plasma ratio of raltegravir concentration was 1.42, indicating good although variable levels of drug penetration of raltegravir in the seminal compartment.

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nejm

Acyclovir and Transmission of HIV-1 from Persons Infected with HIV-1 and HSV-2 

Daily acyclovir therapy did not reduce the risk of transmission of HIV–1, despite a reduction in plasma HIV–1 RNA of 0.25 log10 copies per milliliter and a 73% reduction in the occurrence of genital ulcers due to HSV–2.

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informaworld

Is single-dose NVP relevant in the era of more efficacious PMTCT regimens? Lessons from Zambia 

Single–dose nevirapine has been proven to be a safe and effective drug for the prevention of mother–to–child transmission of HIV. Current systems for dispensing sdNVP may be used as a foundation for implementation of more efficacious PMTCT regimens. The sdNVP administered at first contact should be a safety net for women who are unable to receive more efficacious regimen.

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Improvements in physical wellbeing over the first two years on antiretroviral therapy in western Kenya 

Skin rash was rare at all times, though higher at two years than any other time. Initial improvements in physical wellbeing were sustained over two years, however, increased pain and skin rash at year two may indicate problems as treatment programs mature. These improvements in physical wellbeing will be important in sustaining the long–term success of HIV treatment programs.

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Mental health in HIV seronegative and seropositive IDUs in South Florida 

The data support systems enhancement to meet the various psychosocial and health care needs among IDUs and highlight the need for resource allocation to target community–based integrated mental health services in urban populations. The data underscore the need for primary and secondary HIV prevention interventions to address the drug–use risk behaviors among IDUs to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection and transmission in this population.

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Promoting vulnerability or resilience to HIV - A qualitative study on polygamy in Maiduguri, Nigeria 

The ways in which these social relationships are negotiated and experienced are in turn shaped by religious traditions, gender roles and relations, education and socio–economic status. Within the religious environment of north–eastern Nigeria, where asymmetrical gender roles and relations and connotations of morality shape experiences of sexual interactions, windows of opportunity to promote behaviour–change strategies to support women and men's resilience to HIV need to be carefully created. Health practitioners and planners should develop partnerships with religious and community leaders and women's groups to construct and deliver behaviour–changes strategies.

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Pathways to sex-work in Nagaland, India: implications for HIV prevention and community mobilisation 

Women from each of these pathways were significantly different from each other in relation to a range of socio–cultural variables and HIV risk factors. This diversity has implications for HIV prevention strategies, including the willingness and capacity of sex–workers to mobilise as a community and NGO capacity to ensure that the interests of all sex–workers are adequately captured and represented.

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Symptoms of depression and anxiety among a sample of South African patients living with HIV 

The results suggest that a considerable proportion of the sample may be experiencing psychiatric difficulty, for which they may not be receiving treatment.

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medicalnewstoday

Anxiety Modulated By Functional Connection Between Hippocampus And Cortex

A new study demonstrates that cooperation between the hippocampus, best known for its critical role in learning and memory, and a principal downstream cortical target modulates anxiety-related behaviors in mice. The research, published by Cell Press in the January 28th issue of the journal Neuron, provides intriguing insight into how anxiety is processed in the brain and may help to explain what governs anxiety-related behaviors.

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Wakeful Resting Linked To Improved Memory

New research from the US shows that resting while awake appears to strengthen memory, revealing new insights into how forms of rest other than sleep, affect the memory consolidation process. The findings suggest that even though it may not look like it, when we rest while awake, our brains are still working, something we may find hard to accept in an information technological world that is on the go 24/7.

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Obama's FY 2011 Budget Gives Global Health Funding Boost


President Barack Obama's FY 2011 budget request for global health totals $9.6 billion and includes funding for global health activities within the State Department, USAID and HHS, the Wall Street Journal reports. "That compares with $8.8 billion enacted for fiscal 2010," according to the newspaper (McKay, 2/1).

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sciencedirect

Selection of escape mutation by Pol154-162-specific cytotoxic T cells among chronically HIV-1-infected HLA-B-5401-positive individuals 

The longitudinal sequence analysis of the FV9 epitope in two HLA–B–5401+ individuals revealed that the sequence had changed from the wild type to the FV9–7D during the clinical course. These results indicate that the FV9–7D escape mutant had been selected by FV9–specific CTLs among chronically HIV–1–infected HLA–B–5401+ individuals.

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Blood soluble human leukocyte antigen G levels are associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in Beninese commercial sex workers 

When adjustment was made for all significant variables, the reduced expression of sHLA–G in the plasma remained significantly associated with HIV–1 infection and the HLA–G 3'UTR 14–bp insertion homozygote genotype. This study demonstrates that low levels of plasma sHLA–G are associated with HIV–1 infection.

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eatg

Tesamorelin safe and effective for fat accumulation in patients taking HIV treatment

Treatment with tesamorelin significantly improves visceral fat accumulation in patients with HIV, an international team of investigators report in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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eurekalert

Scripps Research scientists find two compounds that lay the foundation for a new class of AIDS drug

Novel therapies could improve potency of existing AIDS treatments, help to combat drug-resistant virus strains.

Full Text sciencedaily


seekingalpha

Achillion Pharma Out-Licensed China Rights for HIV, Hepatitis Treatment

Achillion Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ: ACHN) out-licensed the China rights for elvucitabine, to GCA Therapeutics, Ltd. (GCAT) of Jersey City, New Jersey. Elvucitabine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) for the treatment of both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). GCAT has a China JV with Tianjing Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, which will be responsible for developing and commercializing the drug in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

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reuters

Glaxo drops some drug research in efficiency drive

Dropping depression, pain research; rare diseases in focus * Shares up 1.7 percent.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK.L) is to cut more costs and abandon some areas of research -- including depression -- joining a growing band of big drugmakers taking a knife to previously sacrosanct drug discovery work.

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irishtimes

Surgeon with HIV seeking damages

A SURGEON who claims he contracted the HIV virus during the course of his duties has brought a High Court action for damages.

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sakaaltimes

Indian HIV Experts seeking additional resources for research

It is believed that around 2.3 million people in India are living with HIV. Of these, an estimated 39 per cent are females and 3.5 per cent are children. In this scenario, urgent need for HIV-AIDS vaccine becomes even more pertinent.
However, the efforts to develop a vaccine to cure HIV-AIDS can only bear better and more fruits with the availability of more scientific research and human clinical trials along with more manpower and funds for research in vaccine development, experts said in an international seminar on AIDS vaccine research.

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 5, 2010
natap

Protein in Urine Presages More Severe Problems

Patients with heavy proteinuria but without overtly abnormal eGFR appeared to have worse clinical outcomes than those with moderately reduced eGFR but without proteinuria.

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eatg

Stavudine in antiretroviral therapy: is this the end?

In 2006, zalcitabine was withdrawn from the market by its manufacturer after its use started to decline because other NRTIs proved to have a more favorable risk/benefit profile. It is time for stavudine to follow this example, either or not enforced by regulatory authorities.

Full Text pdf

Republic of Korea still has HIV related entry restrictions!

Korea has several HIV-specific restrictions on entry and visa applications for residency, immigration and specific types of international employment. Korean government also requires people who apply for certain kinds of visa application such as international employment to indicate their HIV-free status.

Full Text doc

Fight against tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS under threat from success

Unless sufficient extra money can be raised, the eight-year-old fund may be forced for the first time to reject otherwise-solid new proposals from recipient countries, and trim others.

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medicalnewstoday

$4.25 Million For HIV Research In Geneva

The Mintaka Foundation for Medical Research in Geneva announced today that the Wellcome Trust, London, has awarded it approximately CHF 4,500,000 to meet the remaining costs of bringing its flagship product, an anti-HIV microbicide known as 5P12-RANTES, to a first safety trial in the clinic.

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youtube

Alicia Keys In Africa, Journey To The Motherland



Alicia Keys goes to Africa on a journey that changes her life forever. The non-profit organization works on an issue close to the singer's heart -- providing medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

Trailer - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

Youtube search


asianewsnet

Steady rise in HIV cases noted in the Philippines

Since January 1984, when the first HIV-AIDS case in the Philippines was reported, more than 4,000 HIV-positive cases have been recorded in the country.
As of July 2009, there were 432 HIV/AIDS reported cases for the year alone. In the same month, 70 new cases were reported, or almost triple the average of 25 confirmed cases per month.

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cmu

Carnegie Mellon Physicist the First To Measure Energy Released From a Virus During Infection

"Understanding the energy profile for viral genome release provides information on how to interfere with the process. For example, developing ways to decrease the internal energy in viruses could prevent viruses from ejecting their genome and prevent infection," Evilevitch said.

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eurekalert

For HIV-infected children, quality of caregiver relationship is crucial

The study found that the quality of the relationships between the children and their caregivers had a bigger impact on children's physical growth and cognitive performance than the presence of the HIV infection or the quality of the physical environment. In addition, the study found that for both children with and without HIV, family care, even when it was compromised, was better for children than institutional care

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medscape

More Than Half of Americans Use Internet for Health

More than half of Americans looked up health information on the Internet last year, U.S. government researchers reported on Tuesday.
But only 5% used email to communicate with their doctors, the survey by the National Center for Health Statistics found.

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aegis

MONTANA: AIDS Medication Funds Stretched

Twenty low-income Montanans are on a waiting list to receive medicines through the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

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ILLINOIS: Northwestern University Professor Studies AIDS and Poor Women

From now through mid-summer, a team from Northwestern University will interview Chicago-area women with HIV/AIDS about how their economic life affects their health.

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inpharm

GSK confirms job cuts but avoids specifics


GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Andrew Witty

The cuts are part of a programme to save around £500 million in the next two years, and a consultation process is underway, Witty said.
Generics remained a threat to the company and during 2009 it lost more than £1.4 billion of sales to cheaper copies in the US market during the year, Witty said, with Avandia sales down 16% to £771 millon.
GSK’s HIV portfolio was also hit hard, but pharma sales in emerging markets grew 20%, representing 10% of group turnover.

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plusnews

ZIMBABWE: HIV-positive people want constitutional rights

AIDS activists in Zimbabwe have launched a major drive to ensure that the rights of people living with HIV are enshrined in the new constitution.

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pharmaceutical-technology

Avexa Announces Positive HIV Therapy Trials

Australia's Avexa has announced positive results from a Phase III study of apricitabine (ATC), a new therapy to treat patients with HIV.

The Phase III trial compared ATC to 3TC in drug-resistant HIV patients, showing ATC improved the overall clinical effectiveness of HIV therapy compared to the best-available standard of care.
Avexa chief scientific officer Dr Jonathan Coates said that these results highlight the ability of ATC to maintain suppression of patients' viral loads while increasing CD4+ cell numbers, resulting in a clear clinical benefit.

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individual

Gilead Sciences (GILD) reported another strong quarter

Gilead Sciences (GILD) reported another strong quarter with earnings per share coming in at $0.90, well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.82 and the year-ago quarter's earnings of $0.59. For the full year, the company reported a 31% growth in revenues.
We remain optimistic about growth of HIV/AIDS franchise drugs Truvada and Atripla. Earnings over the past few quarters have consistently been above expectations, specifically on strong sales of the HIV franchise products.

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reuters

INTERVIEW-Millions at risk if AIDS focus fades, says expert

Global attention is turning away from the AIDS epidemic at just the wrong time and means a fresh wave of the disease could infect millions of people in high-risk countries, a leading expert said on Friday.

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vancouversun

CANADA: $48-million pilot project seeks to find and treat most vulnerable HIV patients

The B.C. government announced a $48-million pilot project Thursday to find and treat sex trade workers and injection drug users who are undiagnosed or untreated for HIV in Prince George and Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

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nih

Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells Persist at Very High Levels during Long-Term Antiretroviral Treatment of HIV Disease

Long-term successfully treated HIV infected patients have remarkably high levels of CMV-specific effector cells. These levels are similar to that observed in the elderly, but occur at much younger ages. Future studies should focus on defining the potential role of the CMV-specific inflammatory response in non-AIDS morbidity and mortality, including immunosenescence.

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Treatment adherence: the experience of adolescents with HIV/AIDS

The organization of data focused on positive and negative aspects related to adherence. The results showed that adolescents have difficulties in medication adherence especially due to their side effects; they try to normalize their lives in such a way that stigma and discrimination do not compromise their quality of life and treatment adherence. Recommendations to encourage treatment adherence are presented.

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HIV therapeutic possibilities of gold compounds

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in decreased mortality and morbidity from the acquired immune deficiency syndrome caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Drug resistance and toxicity of HAART has led to the search for novel inhibitors of HIV infection. Gold-based compounds have shown promising activity against a wide range of clinical conditions and microorganism infections including HIV-1. A typical example is auranofin which resulted in an elevated CD4+ T-cell count in an HIV patient being treated for psoriatic arthritis. In addition, reports exist on gold-based inhibitors of reverse transcriptase (RT), protease (PR) and viral entry of host cells. These and other characteristics of gold-based HIV drugs are reviewed here.

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Impact of Epstein-Barr virus in the clinical evolution of patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma in Brazil

EBV was identified in 52.5% of the cases. Mixed cellularity (MC) subtype was more common in EBV-related tumours (25.5%) (p = 0.005). There was no difference on age, gender, stage and the presence of B symptoms between the two groups. The presence of EBV did not influence event free survival (EFS) (p = 0.38) or overall survival (OS) (p = 0.80) with a median follow-up of 80 months. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that the prevalence of EBV-related cHL in this Brazilian population is 52.5% and, that, the presence of EBV does not change the clinical evolution and OS of patients treated with similar chemotherapy protocols.

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Pearls: Neurologic Complications of HIV/AIDS

Clinically apparent and frequently debilitating neurologic disease is common with infection by HIV type 1. Approximately one half of all HIV-infected patients will develop clinically significant neurologic disease, and the frequency with which neuropathologic abnormalities are detected at autopsy in some series exceeds 90%, suggesting that neurologic findings are often overlooked. Not surprisingly, careful neurologic examination, even in the absence of specific complaints by the HIV-infected patient, often reveals evidence of central or peripheral nervous system dysfunction. Although neurologic disease typically occurs with advanced disease and profound immunosuppression, it may also occur during early stages of the infection. In as many as 20% of individuals, neurologic disease is the harbinger of AIDS. The spectrum of neurologic disorders that complicate HIV infection is extremely broad; any part of the neuraxis may be affected. Additionally, the complexity of evaluating the HIV-infected person with neurologic disease is increased by the relatively high frequency with which more than one disease concurrently affects the nervous system.

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[veritas]

John,

"Protein in Urine Presages More Severe Problems"

Timely post -------- Thanks

v

[John2038]

Hi Veritas,

Over 5 years (2002 to 2007) and with heavy proteinuria, death were:

7.2   per 1,000 with eGFR > 60
10.4 per 1,000 with Low eGFR  

Risk of death in the worst case scenario: 1% over 5 years.

Others factor to take into account: albumin-creatinine ratio.

The researchers also indicated that the follow-up period may have been too short to fully evaluate risks of progression to kidney failure.

Compared to the average risk a member of the U.S. population would die from each of the following causes in a given year:

Cancer: 1/510
Motor vehicle accident: 1 / 6700

Source

Having heavy proteinuria with low eGFR have a comparable risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident.

As risk are cumulated, don't drive and you will have replace a risk by another.

Without joking this time, it is something you can monitor and hopefully prevent.

In any case, don't over stress. Your AGAP were like mine (4), and went back to 11 the week after.
In more, your eGRF is above 60, and your albumin and creatine are well in the std range.
Remain to investigate the reason why your protein in the urine is higher than the normal range and how you can work with the help of your ID doc to reduce this risk, still low IMHO.

John

[John2038]

NOTE

Renal function: GFR calculator

You will find many calculator like this one on the net, as well as the std value.

[Inchlingblue]

This is another good one:

http://nephron.com/cgi-bin/CGSI.cgi

[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 8, 2010msn

GeoVax Labs, Inc. Begins Enrollment at Final Site for Preventative Vaccine; Next Step Is to Submit IND Application for Therapeutic Vaccine to FDA

Preventative Clinical Trials - Phase 2a
The Phase 2a preventative trial has started enrolling patients at the last 2 of its 13 sites. "We are making great headway at the Iquitos and Miraflores sites in Peru," commented Dr. McNally.

Therapeutic Clinical Trials - Preparing for Phase 1
To help serve those people who are already infected with HIV, the Company is testing its vaccine for the ability to supplant the need for drugs in HIV-positive individuals. Antiretroviral drugs, which have to be taken for life, have side effects and are expensive, costing on average $18,000 per year. GeoVax is currently preparing an Investigational New Drug application (IND) for its Phase 1 therapeutic trial for the FDA. Following receipt of the IND, the FDA has 30 days to respond. If there are no FDA concerns, the company can begin the trial.
This initial trial will be conducted in Atlanta and enroll individuals who began successful antiretroviral therapy within the first year of infection. The goal of this trial is to determine the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine in patients with well-controlled infections who started on antiretroviral therapy drugs within six months of testing positive for HIV.

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aidsmap

Less resistance with FTC than 3TC when combined with tenofovir

Amongst patients experiencing a rebound in viral load, those taking 3TC (lamivudine, Epivir) in combination with tenofovir (Viread) were more likely than those taking FTC (emtricitabine, Emtriva) and tenofovir to develop a number of key resistance mutations.

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Vision loss affecting one in ten Ugandan people with HIV

The lack of routine eye care was the likely cause of the unrecognised but significant and preventable vision loss and eye disease among 11% of HIV-infected adults attending an HIV treatment site in Kampala, Uganda, report Juliet Otiti-Sengeri and colleagues in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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natap

Neurologic Disease Despite Undetectable Viral Load & The Use of Drugs That Penetrate Well the CSF

The highest drug levels in the CSF were found for indinavir, nevirapine, abacavir, maraviroc, and lamivudine.
Physicians should be aware of the possibility of acute HIV-associated CNS disorders even in the presence of minor neurological complaints that should prompt a CSF evaluation with the determination of viral replication and genotypic resistance testing. There is a specific need for a better understanding of the dynamics of viral replication in the CNS compartment and its consequences on potential neurological dysfunctions

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Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation

Tesamorelin reduces visceral fat by approximately 18% and improves body image distress in HIV-infected patients with central fat accumulation. These changes are achieved without significant side effects or perturbation of glucose.

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HIV Brain Impairment

NEUROLOGY Aug 4 2009
Neurocognitive disturbances continue to occur and may be continuing to evolve in the HAART era following ARV initiation. Rapid cognitive improvements occurred within the first 12 weeks, which continued more gradually throughout the 48-week study period. During this period metabolic changes are occurring in the brain, such as a reduction in cerebral inflammation that enables recovery to occur..
Despite clinically significant and apparently rapid cognitive improvements produced by HAART, treated patients continue to show brain metabolite and neuronal abnormalities.
Source

NEUROLOGY May 200
These findings suggest that HIV might affect the functional integrity of medial temporal systems underlying verbal memory performance. HIV serostatus predicted significantly lower immediate and delayed verbal episodic memory, working memory, and visual memory. Verbal episodic memory deficits are evident in HIV+ women and may be associated with hippocampal dysfunction at both encoding and retrieval.
Source

http://www.natap.org/2010/HIV/020810_04.htmFull Text

C-reactive protein concentration and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and mortality: an individual participant meta-analysis

CRP concentration has continuous associations with the risk of coronary heart disease, ischaemic stroke, vascular mortality, and death from several cancers and lung disease that are each of broadly similar size. The relevance of CRP to such a range of disorders is unclear. Associations with ischaemic vascular disease depend considerably on conventional risk factors and other markers of inflammation.

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C-reactive protein and cardiovascular risk: more fuel to the fire

One of the prominent topics in this debate is CRP's role in guiding decision making for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

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Addition of extended zidovudine to extended nevirapine prophylaxis reduces nevirapine resistance in infants who were HIV-infected in utero

In contrast, we hypothesized that NVP resistance mutations would accumulate in HIV-infected infants in the NVP+ZDV arm after prophylaxis was stopped because NVP has longer half-life than ZDV. In this case, ZDV would be cleared before NVP, leaving the infants exposed to NVP alone for a week or more. Although we did see an accumulation of NVP mutations in the extended NVP+ZDV arm after prophylaxis was stopped, this effect was not statistically significant, possibly due to the small number of infants analyzed.

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Longer HAART (tenofovir) Use Predicts Hepatitis B Clearance

More prolonged use of HBV-active HAART was associated with clearance of both HBeAg and HBsAg.
For those who cleared the antigen, average time on the drugs was 4.25 years, compared with 1.676 for the others.

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Antiviral activity and safety of LB80380 in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with lamivudine-resistant disease

the results of the present study suggest that LB80380 at doses of up to 240 mg is safe, well tolerated, and effective at reducing viral load in adult patients with lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B for a period of 12 weeks. LB80380 showed promising results causing profound viral suppression after only 12 weeks of therapy. Further clinical investigation focusing on long-term treatment should be performed to verify the effects and safety of this compound for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B viral infection in both treatment-naïve and lamivudine-resistant patients.

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Efficacy of entecavir in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis

One-year initial ETV therapy was similarly effective in both compensated and decompensated liver disease HBV patients. In addition, it improved underlying liver function in decompensated patients.

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Conatus Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase II Clinical Trial of CTS-1027 in Combination With Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)

"Our studies suggest that CTS-1027 treatment has the potential to amplify the effectiveness of pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy. We believe that treating the most refractory patients will give us the best indication as to whether CTS-1027 can enhance the activity of existing therapy," said Steven J. Mento, President and CEO of Conatus. "The field is moving towards combinations of small molecules, and CTS-1027 represents a novel approach that we hope will benefit patients infected with HCV."

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sciencedaily

Biofilms: Discovery of a New Mechanism of Virus Propagation

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur and CNRS have shown for the first time that certain viruses are capable of forming complex biofilm-like assemblies, similar to bacterial biofilms. These extracellular infectious structures may protect viruses from the immune system and enable them to spread efficiently from cell to cell. "Viral biofilms" would appear to be a major mechanism of propagation for certain viruses. They are therefore emerging as new and particularly attractive therapeutic targets.

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ecios

Operations about Hip in Human Immunodefi ciency Virus-Positive Patients 

There were no significant complications in HIV–infected patients after the operations around the hip joint when their preoperative immunity was optimal. In addition, the safety of medical personnel can be assured when the operation is performed in line with the guidelines of HIV infection control.

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uchicago

A Phase 1/2 Study of a Multiclade HIV-1 DNA Plasmid Prime and Recombinant Adenovirus Serotype 5 Boost Vaccine in HIV-Uninfected East Africans (RV 172) 

The DNA/rAd5 vaccination regimen was safe and induced HIV type 1 multi-clade T cell responses, which were not significantly affected by titers of preexisting rAd5 neutralizing antibody.

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HIV-1 Causes an Imbalance in the Production of Interleukin-18 and Its Natural Antagonist in HIV-Infected Individuals: Implications for Enhanced Viral Replication 

Production of IL-18 and its antagonist becomes imbalanced in HIV-1–infected persons. The infection and the cytokine milieu play a role in this decreased production. The increased biological activities of IL-18 may enhance viral replication in human CD4+ T cells.

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Paraoxonase-1 Gene Haplotypes Are Associated with Metabolic Disturbances, Atherosclerosis, and Immunologic Outcome in HIV-Infected Patients

In HIV infected patients, haplotype H7 was associated with better CD4+ cell count recovery, higher levels of HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I, lower levels of triglycerides, and lower rates of subclinical arteriosclerosis. PON1 haplotypes segregate with HIV infection, HDL metabolism, the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis, and CD4+ cell recovery after treatment.

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drugdiscoverynews

Gene mutations reveal potential new targets for non-Hodgkin’s treatment

A group of researchers have discovered genetic mutations that may contribute to the development of an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
These findings provide insight into a mechanism that cancer cells may use to survive, thus identifying potential new targets for treatment of the disease. The study conducted by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Human Genome Research Institute—all components of the National Institutes of Health—and colleagues appeared in January in Nature.

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nih

Youth Living With HIV and Problem Substance Use: Elevated Distress Is Associated With Nonadherence and Sexual Risk

A total of 87% of distressed YLH reported significantly more past-month ARV nonadherence (odds ratio [OR] = 7.15) and were more likely to have unprotected sex under the influence (OR = 5.14) than nondistressed youth. Conclusions: Distressed YLH with problem substance use may benefit from interventions to improve adherence and to decrease sexual risk, especially while under the influence of drugs.

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Prevalence of CCR5-tropic HIV-1 Among Treatment-Experienced Individuals in Spain

Coreceptor usage was determined by viral tropism assays: 290 (68.9%) patients had CCR5-tropic HIV-1 virus, and 131 (31.1%) had dual-tropic/mixed or CXCR4 virus variants. Mean CD4+ cell counts in the R5 group (319.4 cells/mm3) were higher than in the non-R5 group (237.9 cells/mm3) (p = .0005). There was an inverse relationship between CD4+ cell counts and plasma viral load, but regression analyses on covariates associated with CCR5 tropism showed that only a higher CD4+ cell number was significantly associated with CCR5 coreceptor usage. Conclusions: The prevalence of CCR5-tropic HIV-1 among treatment-experienced patients in Spain is higher than previously found in other geographical settings. We did not find independent markers predictive of coreceptor usage other than a relationship with CD4+ levels.

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Similar Safety and Efficacy of Once- and Twice-Daily Lopinavir/Ritonavir Tablets in Treatment-Experienced HIV-1-Infected Subjects at 48 Weeks.

LPV/r dosed QD resulted in increased treatment adherence and was as efficacious as BID LPV/r while providing similar safety, tolerability, and limited resistance evolution.

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Engineering an artificial zymogen by alternate frame protein folding

Using the AFF mechanism, we were able to suppress k(cat)/K(M) by 250-fold in the proenzyme relative to wild-type barnase. HIV-1 protease cleavage subsequently increases k(cat)/K(M) by 130-fold. AFF is significant because it is general and can in principle be used to control activity of many enzymes, including those whose functions are not regulated by any existing mechanism.

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Lens epithelium-derived growth factor fusion proteins redirect HIV-1 DNA integration

The ability to redirect HIV-1 DNA integration may help solve the problems associated with the activation of oncogenes when retroviruses are used in gene therapy.

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forbes

Inovio Biomedical Cervical Cancer Therapeutic Vaccine Generates Dose-Related Immune Response

"While recent HPV preventive vaccines have been successful in protecting against infections that may lead to cervical cancer, Inovio's therapeutic vaccine targets the millions of women already infected with HPV and is intended to treat pre-cancerous cells and cervical cancer caused by this virus. Current vaccines do not serve this group of women."

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monitor

An HIV positive widow’s struggle to survive against all odds

Joyce is HIV positive and looks after eight children. She spoke to Stella Nakakande about her ups and downs of life as a widow without a stable place to call home.

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irinnews

SOUTH AFRICA: Inequality not so black and white

The growing gulf between the haves and have-nots in the black population has given South Africa the dubious distinction of becoming one of the world's most unequal societies, according to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an inter-government body.

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newsmax

Study: Gay Marriage Involves More Outside Relationships

A federally-funded study by San Francisco State University that followed 556 local male couples for three years found that half “have sex outside their relationships, with the knowledge and approval of their partners,” according to The New York Times.

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newsrx

Recent findings from University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Health Science Center highlight research in herpes simplex virus

Scientists discuss in 'VEGF-A expression by HSV-1-infected cells drives corneal lymphangiogenesis' new findings in herpes simplex virus. "Inflammatory lymphangiogenesis plays a crucial role in the development of inflammation and transplant rejection. The mechanisms of inflammatory lymphangiogenesis during bacterial infection, toll-like receptor ligand administration, and wound healing are well characterized and depend on ligands for the vascular endothelial grow factor receptor (VEGFR) 3 that are produced by infiltrating macrophages," scientists in the United States report.

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busrep

Freeze on HIV spending sparks concern in Africa 

A US decision to freeze spending on treatment for HIV in several African countries has prompted concern that some of the gains made against the AIDS epidemic since 2003 could be reversed.

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individual

HIV/Aids- Poor Feeding Shortens Life

FOOD insecurity may have no borders but its effects are far more consequential for those bound up in other predicaments. And for people living with HIV/AIDS, the effects of food insecurity are profound.

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 9, 2010
eurekalert

Researchers reveal 3-D structure of bullet-shaped virus with potential to fight cancer, HIV

This research has shown that VSV has the potential to be genetically modified to serve as an anti-cancer agent, exercising high selectivity in killing cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, and as a potent vaccine against HIV.

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hivandhepatitis

Kaiser Study Finds Link between First-line Tenofovir (Viread) Use and Kidney Impairmen

Tenofovir (Viread, also in the Truvada and Atripla combination pills) can cause kidney (renal) impairment with long-term use, especially in patients with decreased kidney function at baseline, according to a study reported in the January 2010 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. These findings underline the importance of monitoring kidney function before and during treatment.

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uchicago

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Raltegravir Combined with Optimized Background Therapy in Treatment-Experienced Patients with Drug-Resistant HIV Infection 

BENCHMRK–1 and –2 are ongoing double-blind phase III studies of raltegravir in patients experiencing failure of antiretroviral therapy with triple-class drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus infection. At week 96, raltegravir plus optimized background therapy was generally well tolerated, with superior and durable antiretroviral and

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Transmission of HIV-1 Drug-Resistant Variants: Prevalence and Effect on Treatment Outcome

The authors found the prevalence of TDR in recently infected ART-naive patients to be higher than that estimated by ViroSeq genotyping alone. Follow-up of patients after treatment initiation showed a trend toward there being more clinical complications for patients carrying TDR, although a significant effect on treatment outcome could not be demonstrated. Therefore, the clinical relevance of low-abundance resistant quasispecies in early infection is still in question.

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nih

Monotherapy with Lopinavir/Ritonavir as Maintenance After HIV-1 Viral Suppression: Results of a 96-Week Randomized, Controlled, Open-Label, Pilot Trial (KalMo Study).

Results: 60 patients were enrolled. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. At Week 96, by intention-to-treat analysis, 24/30 (80.0%) subjects in monotherapy group and 26/30(86.6%) in the control group had a plasma viral load of <80 copies/mL. There was one virologic failure (defined as VL not greater-than 500 copies/mL) in each arm. Genotyping testing identified no resistance-associated mutations. The patient on the monotherapy arm was successfully resuppressed to <80 copies/mL after intensification with tenofovir and lamivudine. No statistically significant differences were found with regard to changes in CD4 counts. One subject in the monotherapy group discontinued due to diarrhea. Five subjects in the control group underwent regimen changes due to drug-related toxicities. Viral load from semen samples collected at the end of follow-up was undetectable on 14/15 patients randomized to monotherapy.
Conclusions: Switching from various HAART regimens to LPV/r monotherapy in patients who were virologically suppressed and without a history of previous virologic failure was effective, safe, and well tolerated through 96 weeks.

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businessweek

Gilead Quad Pill Can Overtake Atripla, Milligan Says (Update1)

Gilead Sciences Inc., the world’s biggest maker of AIDS medicines, will begin three final-stage tests in 2010 for a four-drug combination pill against HIV that has the potential to generate $4 billion a year.
The “quad” can overtake sales of Atripla, Gilead’s three- drug pill, Chief Operating Officer John Milligan said today in an interview. “If patients are already on Atripla and they want to switch because they have side effects, this would be a good substitution,” Milligan said.

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plos

Antiretroviral therapy associated with increase in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa

A study conducted in a multi-country HIV treatment program in sub-Saharan Africa has found that pregnancy rates increase in HIV-infected women after they start antiretroviral therapy.
The rate of new pregnancies was significantly higher among women receiving ART (9.0/100 person-years) compared to women not on ART (6.5/100 person-years) (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–2.54).

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drugdiscoverynews

MIT, Rockefeller researchers grow hepatitis C in healthy liver cells, creating way to test new treatments for disease

The estimated 200 million people worldwide who suffer from hepatitis C, an infectious disease affecting the liver, may soon benefit from new tests and treatments made possible by a recent discovery by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Rockefeller University.

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medscape

Resistance to Maturation Inhibitors—Will Bevirimat Find a Role?

Thirty-two percent of wild-type viruses have polymorphisms that diminish the activity of bevirimat, as do 45% of viruses from treatment-experienced patients with PI resistance.
Given the relatively high prevalence of bevirimat resistance among wild-type clade B viruses (>30%), bevirimat is unlikely to prove useful for many treatment-naive patients. Despite the fact that PI resistance is associated with diminished activity of bevirimat overall, there will clearly be patients for whom the drug retains activity despite PI (and other class) resistance. It is this population that may benefit most from availability of bevirimat, since access to new antiretroviral classes can be the key to viral suppression among highly treatment-experienced patients. The use of resistance testing that incorporates the gag region of the HIV genome will be an essential step in selecting appropriate patients for bevirimat.

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Longer Needle May Be Preferred for HBV Vaccination of Obese Teens

Use of a longer needle results in significantly higher titers in response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine among obese adolescents, according to the results of a randomized study reported online in the February 8 issue of Pediatrics.
Compared with obese adolescents immunized with a 1-inch needle, those who were immunized with a 1.5-inch needle had significantly higher antibody titers to hepatitis B surface antigen (median titers 189.8 mIU/mL with the 1-inch needle; 345.4 mIU/mL with the 1.5-inch needle; P = .03).

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PML Risk Increases With Repeated Natalizumab Infusions: FDA

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today notified healthcare professionals and patients that the risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) increases with the number of infusions in patients treated with natalizumab (Tysabri).

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yahoo

Clinton Foundation deploys SAS® in global HIV/AIDS fight

The struggle against HIV/AIDS and other scourges of developing nations shares unexpected concerns with large corporations: limited resources; too much data; too little useful information; and a challenging and changing environment.
“SAS lets us do complex math in real time or very quickly – calculations you can’t do on the back of an envelope. There are things SAS does in minutes that take hours using other technology.’’ CHAI tried using Microsoft Excel for complex simulations, but found that the spreadsheet was not up to the task.

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seattletimes

Starbucks' new heart cup reminds customers of its partnership with (Red) to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa

A new cup at Starbucks' U.S. stores features a heart and a reminder about the company's commitment to the (Red), an organization that partners with big companies like Nike, Gap and Starbucks to help people with HIV in Africa.

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aegis

AUSTRALIA: Rapid Decline in Presentations of Genital Warts After the Implementation of a National Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Program for Young Women

Australia has provided free quadrivalent HPV vaccine to 12- to 18-year-old girls through a school-based program since April 2007 and to women age 26 and younger through general medical practices since July 2007.

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UNITED STATES: Truth About Sex: 60 Percent of Young Men, Teen Boys Lie About It

Results from an online survey of sex and relationships, including attitudes and sexual history, paint a complicated picture for young US men.

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eatg

Price rises "will drive US drug spend to $457.8 billion by 2019"

US prescription drug spending is estimated to have grown 5.2% to $246.3 billion in 2009, a two percentage point rise over 2008 which was due to increased per person usage of medicines and higher price growth for brand-name drugs, say new government figure.

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aidsmap

Higher viral load during early pregnancy, poor adherence, associated with increased risk of HIV infection for infants

A higher viral load during the earlier stages of pregnancy is an important risk factor for mother-to-child transmission of HIV, even when a woman’s viral load is below 500 copies/ml at the time of delivery, French investigators report in the February 15th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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HIV treatment responses in everyday care matching clinical trial levels

Patients receiving routine HIV care through a large US hospital had treatment responses that matched responses rates seen in recent clinical trials, indicating that very high rates of undetectable viral load are achievable in everyday clinical care, US investigators report in the February 15th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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Vision loss affecting one in ten Ugandan people with HIV

The lack of routine eye care was the likely cause of the unrecognised but significant and preventable vision loss and eye disease among 11% of HIV-infected adults attending an HIV treatment site in Kampala, Uganda, report Juliet Otiti-Sengeri and colleagues in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

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wiley

Human immunodeficiency virus infection during pregnancy induces CD4 T-cell differentiation and modulates responses to Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine in HIV-uninfected infants

The authors observed a bimodal response that allowed infants to be classified as high or low responders and found that fewer infants born to HIV–positive mothers were able to mount a robust proliferative response, suggesting that their reduced CD4 counts and increased differentiation indicated a deficiency in their ability to develop immunological memory.

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jpedsurg

Effect of maternal human immunodeficiency virus status on the outcome of neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis

All patients with NEC requiring surgery between June 1998 and June 2008 were analyzed. Three groups were identified: those born to HIV–positive (HIV+) mothers, those born to HIV–negative mothers, and those with an unknown HIV status. Neonates with NEC born to HIV+ mothers have a higher mortality.

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cdc

Emergence of Increased Resistance and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Despite Treatment Adherence, South Africa

The findings suggested that existing TB control measures were inadequate to control the spread of drug–resistant TB in this HIV co–infected population. Diagnosis delay and inappropriate therapy facilitated disease transmission and drug–resistance. These data call for improved infection control measures, implementation of rapid diagnostics, enhanced active screening strategies, and pharmacokinetic studies to determine optimal dosages and treatment regimens.

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modernmedicine

Racial Disparities in Perinatal HIV Infections Decline Slightly

Racial disparities in perinatal HIV diagnoses have declined in recent years, although African-Americans and Hispanics still account for the majority of infections, according to research published in the Feb. 5 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Margaret A. Lampe, R.N., and colleagues at the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention in Atlanta analyzed 2004 to 2007 data from 34 states on perinatal

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nytimes

H.I.V. and Herpes: Treating Herpes Doesn’t Reduce Chance That AIDS Virus Will Spread, Study Finds

Treating herpes in people who are also infected with H.I.V. does not reduce the chances that they will pass on the AIDS virus, according to a new study.

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dnaindia

No headway on HIV vaccine after 20 years

“Efforts to produce a vaccine against HIV have not been succeeding due to unavailability of suitable animal species for clinical trials,’’ Dr Ramesh Paranjape, director, National Aids Research Institute (Nari) said. Polio and malaria are other diseases that took longer periods for vaccine development.
On the use of monkeys in clinical trials, Paranjape said monkeys are used in HIV vaccine trials as they get the infection simian immuno-deficiency virus, which is 60% identical to that of the HIV virus found in humans.

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fox23

Seniors Living With HIV

he Oklahoma Department of Health says in 2005 (latest statistics) there were 141 people over the age of 50 who were living with HIV/AIDS in Tulsa.

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mb

PHILS: BPO sector asked to address HIV in workplace

Employers in business process outsourcing (BPO) sector were asked Tuesday to seriously tackle HIV/AIDS in the workplace after an increase in the number of positive HIV cases was noted among its workers.

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wfubmc

Laboratory-Grown Replacement of Penile Erectile Tissue In Animals Suggests Potential to Benefit Patients

While older men have plenty of treatment choices when it comes to losing erectile function, men born with a defective penis have few options available. The success of the rabbit study may lead to a new treatment for men born with dysfunctional erectile tissue, who have been diagnosed with penile cancer, suffered trauma, and in some instances, men who suffer from erectile dysfunction. And scientists weren’t the only ones expressing enthusiasm for the new treatment—the male rabbits given bioengineered organs rushed to copulate with a female within 60 seconds of introduction.

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individual

CANADA: PREZISTA(R)* Now Approved as Part of Combination Therapy for Pediatric Patients Six Years of Age and Older with HIV

Approval based on DELPHI study that demonstrated 74 per cent of pediatric patients taking PREZISTA(R) in combination with other antiretrovirals had at least a 90 per cent reduction in viral loads at 24 weeks.

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UGANDA: New Strategies Needed in Fight Against HIV Among Adolescents

According to statistics from Uganda's Ministry of Health and UNAIDS, about 110,000 children are living with HIV/Aids in the country. Of these, 50,000 children are in need of Anti retroviral treatment. With 135,000 new HIV infections annually of which over 19,000 are children, the number of children that requires treatment will continue to increase.

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 10, 2010
healthfinder

Vaccine May Prevent TB in People With HIV

Clinical trial results mark 'significant milestone,' expert says.
Phase III trials of 2,000 HIV-infected people in Tanzania found that the mycobacterium vaccae (MV) vaccine reduced the rate of definite tuberculosis (TB) by 39 percent. The findings have been published online in the journal AIDS.

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aidsmap

Even very low levels of pre-existing resistance increase risk of efavirenz failure

Very small amounts of transmitted drug resistance can increase the risk of efavirenz treatment failure, US investigators report in the March 1st edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases (now online).

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Higher viral load during early pregnancy, poor adherence, associated with increased risk of HIV infection for infants

A higher viral load during the earlier stages of pregnancy is an important risk factor for mother-to-child transmission of HIV, even when a woman’s viral load is below 500 copies/ml at the time of delivery, French investigators report in the February 15th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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XDR TB emerging despite good adherence, due to sub-optimal treatment and bad infection control

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is most likely emerging as a result of delays in diagnosis, sub-optimal treatment and poor infection control, not failures in patient adherence, a newly published study of XDR TB cases in a South African gold mine suggests.

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wiley

Safety and Efficacy in HIV-1-Infected Patients Treated with Ritonavir-Boosted Saquinavir Mesylate 

Treatment with the saquinavir 500 mg film–coated tablet resulted in few grade 3 or 4 AEs and was well tolerated and effective in a broad population of patients

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plos

Causes of Acute Hospitalization in Adolescence: Burden and Spectrum of HIV-Related Morbidity in a Country with an Early-Onset and Severe HIV Epidemic: A Prospective Survey 

HIV is the commonest cause of adolescent hospitalisation in Harare, mainly due to adult–spectrum opportunistic infections plus a high burden of chronic complications of paediatric HIV/AIDS. Low HSV–2 prevalence and high maternal orphanhood rates provide further evidence of long–term survival following mother–to–child transmission. Better recognition of this growing phenomenon is needed to promote earlier HIV diagnosis and care.

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oxfordjournals

Predictors of Optimal HIV Appointment Adherence in Minority Youth: A Prospective Study 

Interventions promoting motivation and self–efficacy, while addressing alcohol use and awareness of appointment adherence may be promising in improving optimal HIV appointment adherence in minority youth.

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jimmunol

HIV Protective KIR3DL1 and HLA-B Genotypes Influence NK Cell Function Following Stimulation with HLA-Devoid Cells 

The results support a link between KIR/HLA genotypes and NK cell function and could provide an explanation for the observation that some KIR/HLA combinations are associated protective phenotypes in the context of host–HIV interactions.

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asm

Low Prevalence Rate of Indeterminate Serological Human Immunodeficiency Virus Results among Pregnant Women from Burkina Faso (West Africa) 

In clinical practice, pregnant women with such indeterminate results are now reassured during post–test counseling that they are very unlikely to be infected with HIV–1. As a consequence, such women with indeterminate results can reliably be considered negative when urgent clinical decisions need to be taken.

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eatg

Dynavax initiates large-scale Phase 3 trial of HEPLISAV(TM)

Phase 3 trial is designed to demonstrate the lot-to-lot consistency of commercial vaccine and to complete the safety database for HEPLISAV; The secondary objectives include the safety of HEPLISAV as compared to Engerix-B.

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Debiopharm Group™ grants an exclusive licence for the development, manufacture and commercialisation of Debio 02

A potent, first-in-class antiviral agent for the treatment of hepatitis C.

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Delhi High Court rejects Bayer’s appeal for patent linkage

If introduced, the patent linkage system would have seriously impacted the early entry of generic drugs into the market.

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physorg

Soft drink consumption may increase risk of pancreatic cancer

Consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who did not consume soft drinks, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

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pnas

Strike three for smokers: Third-hand smoke is identified as dangerous

Third-hand smoke is the smoke that clings to other surfaces, such as furniture, clothing, curtains and other fabric, as well as hard surfaces.
This study shows that residual nicotine from tobacco smoke sorbed to indoor surfaces reacts with ambient nitrous acid (HONO) to form carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). Substantial levels of TSNAs were measured on surfaces inside a smoker’s vehicle. Laboratory experiments using cellulose as a model indoor material yielded a > 10-fold increase of surface-bound TSNAs when sorbed secondhand smoke was exposed to 60 ppbv HONO for 3 hours. In both cases we identified 1-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridinyl)-4-butanal, a TSNA absent in freshly emitted tobacco smoke, as the major product. The potent carcinogens 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridinyl)-1-butanone and N-nitroso nornicotine were also detected.

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irishhealth

Many chronic patients fail to take meds properly

Four out of 10 patients being treated for chronic conditions do not take their medication as prescribed, making their treatment less effective and more expensive, new research indicates.

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yahoo

Chinese doctors dismiss HIV-like mystery disease as prostitute guilt

A mystery illness with HIV-like symptoms has been reported by hundreds of Chinese, but doctors believe it is just "HIV phobia" caused by guilt from having sex with prostitutes.
Many patients suspect they are being lied to when their HIV tests come back negative, even those who have had as many as seven tests, News.com.au reports.

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MAC AIDS Fund Survey Reveals 73 Percent of Women Unaware of their Current HIV Status - False Sense of Security Prevents Most Women from Taking Control

The MAC AIDS Fund (MAF) today launched its latest VIVA GLAM campaign, a women's initiative aimed at strengthening the service network and resources available to women living with and at risk of contracting HIV.

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ptinews

INDIA: HIV-afflicted youth commits suicide

Ostracised by society and abandoned by family members, a young HIV patient allegedly committed suicide by setting himself afire in the district, police said here today.
The incident took place in Koskharatala Mahadevpura village of Koraon tehsil, about 65 kms from here, when the 25-year-old youth took the extreme step last night, police said.

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ibnlive

Hospital accused of infecting HIV to kids given clean chit


A report submitted to the Government on Tuesday on HIV infection of five Thalassemic children allegedly during blood transfusion at a hospital in Jodhpur has virtually given a clean chit to the facility, saying the infection might have happened from elsewhere.

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pioneerlocal

Teens eager to 'do justice' to 'Laramie Project' story

"The Laramie Project" is a true story that takes a look at the 1998 killing of a gay college student through many prisms, but mostly through the eyes of the residents Laramie, Wyo., where the victim, Matthew Shepard, attended school.
Student Simone Sklan portrays the redemptive Reggie Fluty, a female police officer who discovers Matthew tied to the fence, unsure if what she's seeing is a human.
"She does feel a kind of connection to him," said Sklan, noting that Reggie lives with the worry that she contracted the victim's HIV in her attempts to save him. "It really affects her life, but she still stands behind what she did."

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volanteonline

Gay men still banned from giving blood

Homosexual men are permanently banned from donating blood because of the higher likelihood of carrying HIV/AIDS. The Food and Drug Administration adopted this policy in 1983 in an effort to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease via blood transfusion.

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nih

A qualitative study of participant adherence in a randomized controlled trial of herpes suppressive therapy for HIV prevention in Tanzania

The trial found participants completed 72% of visits on treatment; 52-56% of women on treatment had >/=90% adherence by pill count estimate; and between six and nine months 30/86 (35%) of urine samples from acyclovir recipients tested acyclovir negative, and 7/86 (8%) from placebo recipients tested acyclovir positive.

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Validation of the MOS-HIV as a measure of health-related quality of life in persons living with HIV and liver disease.

Management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with potent antiretroviral medication has transformed HIV into a chronic condition and has shifted much of the burden of disease to co-morbid conditions such as liver disease (LD). LD alone has been shown to have a significant effect on one's health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Clinical evidence suggests that the growing number of persons living with HIV + LD may have a poorer HRQOL than persons with HIV without LD. To date, the widely accepted instrument to assess HRQOL, Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV), has not been evaluated for reliability and validity in a population of HIV-infected persons with LD.
Results. The psychometric properties of the MOS-HIV were supported by testing reliability and construct, convergent, discriminative, and predictive validity. The MOS-HIV discriminated between those persons living with HIV with and without LD on the basis of the physical function subscale scores (p=0.018).
Conclusion. This study found the MOS-HIV valid and reliable instrument in persons with HIV + LD.

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[John2038]

NEWS - FEB 11, 2010
eurekalert

Scientists discover origin of HIV transmission among male partners


Davey Smith, M.D., M.A.S.

"Until now, it had not been established whether HIV RNA or DNA is transmitted during sex," said Smith.
"By analyzing the genetic differences between these two forms and the virus that was ultimately transmitted to newly infected individuals we found that it was the HIV RNA form present in seminal plasma that was transmitted."
Smith notes that because the study involved pairs of men who have sex with men, the findings do not comment directly on HIV transmission to women.

Full Text sciencedaily

Burden of HIV/TB infections increasingly falling on Hispanic community

The results of an innovative study to understand what factors may influence who contracts tuberculosis (TB)/HIV co-infection in San Diego show a significant shift in the ethnic makeup of the disease, with the majority of cases now coming from the Hispanic community.

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eatg

HIV treatment might increase clearance of HPV infection in women

Women living with HIV who regularly take antiretroviral therapy may be more likely to clear human papillomavirus and cervical lesions than women who don’t consistently take their meds.

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Uganda: Bill sets 10 yrs for spreading AIDS

A stringent bill on HIV/AIDS is expected to be presented before Parliament this month. Under the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Bill 2009, spreading the disease knowingly will become a criminal offence.
Anybody who willfully and intentionally transmit the disease faces a fine of sh4.8m or imprisonment of up to 10 years or both.

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Medicines shortage prompts Government summit

The shortage of medicines as unscrupulous dealers take advantage of cheap prices in Britain and then sell them abroad for profit has prompted ministers to call a summit.

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OctoPlus announces that Locteron interim Phase IIb data have been accepted for oral and poster presentations at International Liver Congress in April

"We are delighted that the interim data for Locteron have been one of few to be selected for an oral presentation at this prestigious conference. We look forward to seeing the data and believe that this is very good news for the future of Locteron."
Biolex will present interim results after 12 weeks of treatment from its two Phase IIb studies for Locteron versus PEG-Intron® at the International Liver Congress in April, organised by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

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Pharmasset reports smaller 1st-quarter loss after ending study of hepatitis B drug candidate

In April, Pharmasset ended development of a hepatitis drug candidate called clevudine, citing side effects like muscle weakness. Clevudine had been the company's most advanced drug candidate.

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bbc

Genes behind stammering uncovered

Stammering affects about 1% of all adults worldwide.
Those affected repeat or prolong sounds, syllables or words, disrupting the normal flow of speech.
Two of these, GNPTAB and GNPTG, have already been linked to two serious metabolic diseases in which components of cells are not effectively recycled.
These disorders, known as lyposomal storage disorders, lead to a build-up of a potentially dangerous substance which can cause problems in almost every area of the body, including the brain.

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aegis

Swaziland: Dating in a Time of HIV

Jabulile Dlamini* is sweet sixteen and has never been kissed. And she is not expecting to be kissed any time soon or to even receive any gifts this Valentine's Day.
While most of the girls in her class are excited about receiving presents from their boyfriends on February 14, Dlamini - who is HIV-positive - does not think she will get any.

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Africa: High hopes as new TB vaccine proves effective

"This is the first TB vaccine to show effectiveness in any clinical trial," Dartmouth's Dr Richard Waddell told IRIN/PlusNews. "It will re-energize the search for an even more effective TB vaccine, which is especially urgent in Africa."
According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), TB is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV in Africa; globally, one in four TB deaths is HIV-related.

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Medi-Cal change raises concerns

A state program that helps people, including those living with HIV/AIDS, get access to health care is dropping patients because they already qualify for another program, leading some to fear they won't have adequate medical coverage.
The state's Health Insurance Premium Payment program pays private health insurance premiums for certain Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The program has notified more than 100 people living with HIV/AIDS that they're being dropped, effective February 28, because they are also eligible for Medicare.

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natap

FDA approves expanded rosuvastatin label, Includes CRP

The FDA has agreed to broader labeling for rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca), the company announced late Monday [1]. Following recommendations that the agency's advisory panel made last December, the FDA has now approved the statin for reducing the risk of stroke, MI, and revascularization procedures in individuals who have normal LDL levels and no clinically evident coronary heart disease but who do have an increased risk based on age, CRP levels, and the presence of at least one additional CVD risk factor. As previously reported by heartwire, the FDA's Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 12 to 4 on December 15, 2009 to recommend an expansion of rosuvastatin labeling.
16 or 17 million people eligible for treatment based on the FDA indication.

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Barriers To Retention in Care in HIV and HCV

Studies suggest that navigators and supportive services help the most vulnerable populations to stay in care. Keeping HIV-infected patients connected to care should be a major health care and public health priority.
Missed appointment rates are consistently 25%-35%.

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news-medical

Oral hygiene: Insights

Oral health is often the window to your overall health. Evidence has supported the link between poor oral health and such conditions as stroke, premature birth and diabetes. Other conditions, such as HIV/AIDS and osteoporosis may show preliminary signs in your mouth, before other areas of the body are affected.

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HIV/AIDS seen as a gay man's disease, despite growing number of HIV infections in women

The MAC AIDS Fund (MAF) today launched its latest VIVA GLAM campaign, a women's initiative aimed at strengthening the service network and resources available to women living with and at risk of contracting HIV.

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lohud

Lord's Pantry loses funding: White Plains group feeds homebound AIDS/HIV patients

A White Plains-based organization that for 19 years has prepared and delivered meals to people with HIV and AIDS throughout Westchester County could be in jeopardy after losing the federal funding that makes up about 80 percent of its budget.

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nih

Mode of antiviral action of silver nanoparticles against HIV-1

BACKGROUND: Silver nanoparticles have proven to exert antiviral activity against HIV-1 at non-cytotoxic concentrations, but the mechanism underlying their HIV-inhibitory activity has not been not fully elucidated. In this study, silver nanoparticles are evaluated to elucidate their mode of antiviral action against HIV-1 using a panel of different in vitro assays. RESULTS: Our data suggest that silver nanoparticles exert anti-HIV activity at an early stage of viral replication, most likely as a virucidal agent or as an inhibitor of viral entry. Silver nanoparticles bind to gp120 in a manner that prevents CD4-dependent virion binding, fusion, and infectivity, acting as an effective virucidal agent against cell-free virus (laboratory strains, clinical isolates, T and M tropic strains, and resistant strains) and cell-associated virus. Besides, silver nanoparticles inhibit post-entry stages of the HIV-1 life cycle. CONCLUSIONS: These properties make them a broad-spectrum agent not prone to inducing resistance that could be used preventively against a wide variety of circulating HIV-1 strains.

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Coping strategies of adolescents living with HIV: disease-specific stressors and responses

This study examined disease-specific stressors and coping responses employed by youth with HIV. Data were analyzed from Adolescent Impact, a multi-site study of 166 adolescents infected with HIV in three major US cities. Participants identified HIV-related stressors during a face-to-face interview. Coping strategies were measured using the adolescent version of the Kidcope. Emotional and behavioral functioning were assessed with the Youth or Adult Self Report symptom checklists. Medication-related stressors were most common (30%) and reported more often by perinatally infected youth, whereas youth infected through risk behaviors reported more disclosure-related stressors. Passive emotional regulation was perceived as the most used and most helpful coping strategy overall. Youth reporting medication adherence-related stressors used resignation most frequently. A two-factor model (Passive and Active Coping) emerged. The Passive Coping factor included strategies that do not directly approach the problem, whereas Active Coping included strategies that involve an active approach. Youth with moderately advanced disease (CD4 200-500 cells/mm(3)) used a Passive Coping style more often than healthier youth (CD4 > 500 cells/mm(3)). Additionally, Passive Coping was associated with greater emotional and behavioral problems. Youth infected with HIV may benefit from interventions promoting adaptive coping responses to HIV-specific stressors, particularly medication adherence.

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Testing a peer-based symptom management intervention for women living with HIV/AIDS

In urban-dwelling women living with HIV/AIDS, results suggest that a peer-based symptom management intervention may not decrease symptom intensity or increase medication adherence. There is positive evidence that suggests that the intervention may increase some important aspects of quality of life. However, further research is warranted to elucidate the effect of peer-based interventions in achieving positive self-management outcomes.

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cbc

CANADA: Final arguments in appeal of HIV man convicted of sex assault

Manitoba's Court of Appeal heard oral arguments Wednesday in the case of an HIV-positive man serving a 14-year prison sentence for having sex with six girls and women from Winnipeg without disclosing his medical condition.
ato Mabior was sentenced in October 2008 after being convicted on six counts of aggravated sexual assault as well as invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference.

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[Inchlingblue]

Mode of antiviral action of silver nanoparticles against HIV-1

BACKGROUND: Silver nanoparticles have proven to exert antiviral activity against HIV-1 at non-cytotoxic concentrations, but the mechanism underlying their HIV-inhibitory activity has not been not fully elucidated. In this study, silver nanoparticles are evaluated to elucidate their mode of antiviral action against HIV-1 using a panel of different in vitro assays. RESULTS: Our data suggest that silver nanoparticles exert anti-HIV activity at an early stage of viral replication, most likely as a virucidal agent or as an inhibitor of viral entry. Silver nanoparticles bind to gp120 in a manner that prevents CD4-dependent virion binding, fusion, and infectivity, acting as an effective virucidal agent against cell-free virus (laboratory strains, clinical isolates, T and M tropic strains, and resistant strains) and cell-associated virus. Besides, silver nanoparticles inhibit post-entry stages of the HIV-1 life cycle. CONCLUSIONS: These properties make them a broad-spectrum agent not prone to inducing resistance that could be used preventively against a wide variety of circulating HIV-1 strains.

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I wonder why it is taking so long to do further studies on silver nanoparticles and HIV? I think it was reported about four or five years ago that silver nanoparticles are able to inhibit HIV. You would think the research would be further along by now.

[John2038]

Good questions Inchlingblue
Patents, economical reasons, or ?

Study 2010
Study 2005