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Laughter increases production of antibodies and activates body's protective cells

Laughter is a highly complex process. Joyous or mirthful laughter is considered a positive stress (eustress) that involves complicated brain activities leading to a positive effect on health. Norman Cousins first suggested the idea that humor and the associated laughter can benefit a person's health in the 1970s. His ground-breaking work, as a layperson diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, documented his use of laughter in treating himself—with medical approval and oversight—into remission.

27 Apr 2010

People infected with gastrointestinal worms respond better to injected vaccines

According to the World Health Organization, two billion people around the globe suffer from chronic parasitic worm infections, which, in addition to causing illness and developmental delay, are also suspected to interfere with the effectiveness of ordinary vaccines, making their victims more vulnerable to life-threatening diseases. A recent discovery by researchers at the Trudeau Institute promises to bypass these obstacles and help deliver more effective vaccines to these people, boosting their protection against common childhood diseases.

27 Apr 2010

Opinions: G8 summit; World Malaria Day; Family planning; Global Food Security Act

As G8 development leaders gather in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this week to discuss priorities for the upcoming summit, Josette Sheeran, executive director of the WFP, calls for world leaders to focus on the nutritional needs of mothers and children in developing countries in a Toronto Star opinion piece.

27 Apr 2010

News outlets examine World Malaria Day 2010

Ahead of Sunday's World Malaria Day, news outlets examined global efforts to combat the disease and the mood among advocates.

27 Apr 2010

Fever in kids underestimated by Doctors: new study

In a new study researchers have found that some physicians may be missing the seriousness of an infection in a child presenting with fever. The study published in the British Medical Journal involved 16,000 children from 2004 to 2006 with fever and found that doctors could not diagnose up to one third of the potentially life-threatening illnesses in these children.

27 Apr 2010

Nanoviricides become registered trademark under USPTO

NanoViricides, Inc., announced today that the mark "nanoviricides" has now become a registered trademark under the US Patents and Trademarks Office. The mark was entered into the "principal register" of trademarks at the USPTO on April 20, 2010.

26 Apr 2010

Study confirms utility of Oxford Immunotec's T-SPOT.TB assay in identifying latent TB infection

The authors of a recent peer-reviewed study published in the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease confirmed the high specificity of the T-SPOT.TB assay.

26 Apr 2010

Research documents early warning signs resulting from global pullback on AIDS funding

Rationing Funds, Risking Lives: World Backtracks on HIV Treatment, the new report from the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, documents early warning signs resulting from the global pullback on AIDS commitment and funding: caps on the number of people enrolled in treatment programs, more frequent drug stock outs, and national AIDS budgets falling short.

26 Apr 2010

Pevion Biotech to present positive results of PEV4 RSV vaccine candidate at Vaccine Innovation Meeting

Pevion Biotech, the Swiss vaccine company, today announced that it has successfully completed the preclinical safety and efficacy studies of its RSV vaccine candidate PEV4. The vaccine candidate is a modern subunit vaccine candidate against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is based on a recombinant RSV-F protein formulated with Pevion Biotech's proprietary and market-validated virosome technology platform.

26 Apr 2010

Federal allocation not adequately addressing needs of minority AIDS community

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute will unveil a study "Following the Money: Tracking Federal AIDS Appropriations to Address Disparities in HIV and AIDS Treatment in the United States." The study looks at funds and resources provided under the Ryan White Act and concludes that the allocation does not adequately address the needs of the minority AIDS community and fails to reflect the rapid rise in AIDS infection rates in rural, Southern communities, which are primarily African American communities.

26 Apr 2010

Enhancing residence time improves drug effectivity: Study

Studies led by Stony Brook University professor of chemistry Peter J. Tonge indicate that modifications that enhance the time a drug remains bound to its target, or residence time, may lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

26 Apr 2010

Anacor Pharmaceuticals, MMV partner to discover and develop promising new malaria therapeutics

Anacor Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has entered into a research agreement with not-for-profit Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to explore Anacor's novel boron chemistry platform for developing new therapeutics for the treatment of malaria. Under the agreement, Anacor will be responsible for leading the research effort and MMV will contribute its extensive malaria drug research expertise as well as financial support.

26 Apr 2010

Driving evolution of antibiotic resistance backwards

The use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections causes a continual and vicious cycle in which antibiotic treatment leads to the emergence and spread of resistant strains, forcing the use of additional drugs leading to further multi-drug resistance.

26 Apr 2010

Promising research on cryptosporidiosis could lead to effective treatment: Brandeis University biochemist

Discovered in 1976, cryptosporidium lurks worldwide in water, contaminating swimming pools, water parks, and drinking water supplies. Although it has even been featured on the comedy show The Colbert Report, it is no laughing matter-this microscopic pathogen is a leading cause of diarrhea and malnutrition and the most common source of infection in immune-weakened people such as AIDS patients.

26 Apr 2010

Canadian Red Cross expands Malaria Bites campaign

This World Malaria Day, the Canadian Red Cross is ramping up their fight against malaria. The Canadian Red Cross is expanding their successful Malaria Bites campaign, which has already seen the distribution of six million bed nets, to include additional health interventions and treatment options.

26 Apr 2010

GBS serotype III more commonly associated with urinary tract infections

Research suggests pathogenic strains of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) are an under-recognised cause of urinary tract infections.

24 Apr 2010

1976 "swine flu" vaccine protects against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus

New evidence shows immunization against "swine flu" in 1976 might provide individuals with some protection against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, according to new research from St. Jude investigators.

24 Apr 2010

Mechanisms pathogenic viruses exploit to evade immune systems of hosts

Viruses have evolved a broad range of strategies that enable them to evade the immune systems of their hosts. A team of researchers led by LMU virologist Professor J-rgen Haas has been studying a novel, recently discovered mechanism that pathogenic viruses exploit for this purpose, and their latest results could point the way to new antiviral therapies. The mechanism is based on the production of short RNA molecules, called microRNAs, by the virus.

24 Apr 2010

New research project to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries

Dr Geoff Brown, from the University of Reading's Department of Chemistry, is beginning a £400,000 project that could prove vital for the developing world in its ongoing fight against malaria. His research aims to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries where more than 1.5 million people die of the disease every year.

24 Apr 2010

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

For the first time, immunization campaigns are being launched simultaneously tomorrow in 112 countries and territories in the World Health Organization Regions of the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, with the goals of expanding immunization coverage and raising awareness of the importance of vaccines.

24 Apr 2010

Disease/Infection News

Laughter increases production of antibodies and activates body's protective cells

People infected with gastrointestinal worms respond better to injected vaccines

Opinions: G8 summit; World Malaria Day; Family planning; Global Food Security Act

News outlets examine World Malaria Day 2010

Fever in kids underestimated by Doctors: new study

Nanoviricides become registered trademark under USPTO

Study confirms utility of Oxford Immunotec's T-SPOT.TB assay in identifying latent TB infection

Research documents early warning signs resulting from global pullback on AIDS funding

Pevion Biotech to present positive results of PEV4 RSV vaccine candidate at Vaccine Innovation Meeting

Federal allocation not adequately addressing needs of minority AIDS community

Enhancing residence time improves drug effectivity: Study

Anacor Pharmaceuticals, MMV partner to discover and develop promising new malaria therapeutics

Driving evolution of antibiotic resistance backwards

Promising research on cryptosporidiosis could lead to effective treatment: Brandeis University biochemist

Canadian Red Cross expands Malaria Bites campaign

GBS serotype III more commonly associated with urinary tract infections

1976 "swine flu" vaccine protects against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus

Mechanisms pathogenic viruses exploit to evade immune systems of hosts

New research project to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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