Immune System News and Research

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Inflammation causes insulin resistance not obesity

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discovered that inflammation provoked by immune cells called macrophages leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.

6 Nov 2007

Bavarian Nordic updates on vaccine project pipeline

In a business update, Danish-based biopharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, reported a number of developments in its vaccine project pipeline.

6 Nov 2007

BCG vaccine causing illness, death among HIV-positive infants, report says

The BCG vaccine, which aims to prevent tuberculosis among children in developing countries, might be causing illness and death among some HIV-positive infants, researchers said on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reports.

6 Nov 2007

Common painkillers may prevent Parkinson's disease

Researchers in the U.S. are suggesting that painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen can cut the risk of Parkinson's disease by as much as 60%.

6 Nov 2007

Blood-incompatible infant heart transplants safe, may save more lives

ABO-incompatible heart transplantation (heart transplantation among non-compatible blood groups) can be safely performed in infants a year old or younger, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.

6 Nov 2007

Osteopontin-c is a good biomarker of breast cancer.

Researchers have identified a molecule that may be more accurate than existing biological signposts used to predict which breast cancers will develop into advanced forms of the disease.

6 Nov 2007

Medical causes of iatrogenic renal disorders

Nephrologists and other health care providers need to be aware of certain medications and diagnostic test preparations that, in some patients, can cause damage to the kidneys, according to a special clinical update being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Francisco.

5 Nov 2007

TB vaccine can be a killer for babies with HIV

Experts in South Africa say a vaccine which was meant to protect children in developing countries from tuberculosis (TB)may in fact be killing them.

4 Nov 2007

Latest US food scare - 3.3 million pounds of frozen meat pizza products!

The latest food recall in the United States involves approximately 3.3 million pounds of frozen meat pizza products which are suspected of being contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

4 Nov 2007

Antibody might help starve cancerous tumors

An antibody might offer a safe and effective complement to anti-cancer therapies designed to starve malignant tumors by pruning the blood vessels that feed them, researchers report in the November 2 issue of the journal Cell, a publication of Cell Press.

2 Nov 2007

The PIN codes of the immune system can be hacked

There are several reasons why the world is still plagued by diseases we cannot treat or vaccinate against, one of them being the vast complexity of the human immune system.

2 Nov 2007

Psychological stress increases susceptibility to skin infections in mice

It is well known that being stressed increases our susceptibility to infections by impairing the function of our immune system, but the molecular links between stress and diminished immune function have not been determined.

2 Nov 2007

Immune cell age plays role in retinal damage in age-related macular degeneration

Studying a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found age is key in determining whether damaging blood vessels will form beneath the retina and contribute to vision loss.

2 Nov 2007

High-fat diet makes mice susceptible to liver injury

A high fat diet may kill regulatory T cells in the liver, allowing steatosis (simple fatty liver) to develop into steatohepatitis (fatty liver with inflammation), according to the results of a new study in the November issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

2 Nov 2007

Cutting-edge method that captures cell growth and activity

This month's issue of Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features a cutting-edge method that provides a snapshot of growth and activity patterns in mixed populations of cells. The protocol is freely accessible online.

2 Nov 2007

Acupuncture and Western-style medicine

Acupuncture, one of the oldest medical therapies in the world, is steadily gaining popularity in the United States.

2 Nov 2007

Gamma interferon could aid fight against fungal infections

Interferon, the "superhero" cure for viral infections, may be a strong weapon in the battle against fungal infections in immunocompromised patients, according to an article in the November issue of Microbiology Today.

1 Nov 2007

Cancer fighting technology uses UV light to attack tumours

Scientists at Newcastle University have developed a cancer fighting technology which uses UV light to activate antibodies which very specifically attack tumours.

31 Oct 2007

Scripps design new type of vaccine that could one day be used in humans to block the onset of infection

In hopes of combating the growing scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, in particular drug-resistant staph bacteria, a team of scientists from the Scripps Research Institute has designed a new type of vaccine that could one day be used in humans to block the onset of infection.

31 Oct 2007

Experts ponder why so many children have food allergies

Experts say the number of people, especially young children with food allergies in the United States is on the increase and specialists are seeing more and more children with multiple allergies.

31 Oct 2007