immunity News and Research

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New findings may make morphine a safer, more effective drug for chronic pain control

An orphan drug originally used for HIV treatment has been found to short-circuit the process that results in additional sensitivity and pain from opioid use. The study by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine is reported in the March 25, 2011 issue of Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

25 Mar 2011

House bill proposes immunity for negligent drug manufacturers

Rep. Johnathan Rhyne, Republican Chairman of the NC House Select Committee on Tort Reform, today launched an assault on patients rights, adding provisions to favor insurance companies and drug manufacturers to a controversial Senate bill.

24 Mar 2011

Strong 'innate immunity' effective in chikungunya patients

Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. The disease is spreading in the world and periodically sparks new outbreaks. Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean and even Southern Europe are now affected.

23 Mar 2011

Multivitamin supplements can optimize body's metabolic performance

Eating well is a difficult task for most people given the frantic pace of everyday living. Convenient pre-packaged and fast foods, rich in calories and low in nutrients, offer an easy solution to those short on time, but neglect to provide daily essential nutrients. And the short-changing of necessary nutritional requirements for good health is furthered by routine stress itself.

22 Mar 2011

Stress can change balance of gut bacteria

Stress can change the balance of bacteria that naturally live in the gut, according to research published this month in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

22 Mar 2011

Cognitive impairment may not be fully reversible in patients with liver disease: Study

There are potential legal ramifications for physicians of patients who drive with cognitive impairment, according to a study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute.

19 Mar 2011

Researchers identify protein that triggers immune response in TB-infected people

Scientists have discovered a protein secreted by tuberculosis bacteria that could be a promising new vaccine candidate, they report today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The protein could also be used to improve diagnosis of TB.

19 Mar 2011

UCLA researchers identify new biomarker that can help track amyloid beta in Alzheimer's

UCLA researchers have identified a new biomarker that could help them track how effectively the immune system is able to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

18 Mar 2011

Study sheds light on how vitamin A contributes to immune responses in gastrointestinal tract

Although it has been known for some time that vitamin A deficiency is linked with an impaired ability to resist infections, exactly how vitamin A and its metabolites contribute to the immune response is not well understood.

18 Mar 2011

Research highlights new parameters for HIV study

A research article co-authored by Brenna Anderson, MD, director of Reproductive Infectious Diseases Consultation in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, was included in the recently published special issue of the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology.

17 Mar 2011

Scientists to develop new universal vaccine against various flu viruses

A vaccine that helps against all types of influenza - for several years? If all goes right for Norwegian company Bionor Pharma ASA, such a vaccine could exist within a few years.

17 Mar 2011

New findings help explain why toxoplasmosis causes serious disease

Providing clues into why the severity of a common parasitic infection can vary greatly from person to person, a new Johns Hopkins study shows that each one of three strains of the cat-borne parasite Toxoplasma gondii sets off a unique reaction in the nerve cells it invades.

15 Mar 2011

New findings may open doors for vaccine development against HIV, tuberculosis

Alum is an adjuvant used in many common vaccines, and Canadian researchers have now discovered how it works. The research by scientists from the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine is published in the March 13 online edition of Nature Medicine.

15 Mar 2011

Breast fed babies smarter: Study

Scientists have finally come to a consensus that babies who are breast fed grow up to be more intelligent. A latest study showed that just four weeks on their mothers’ milk can have a ‘significant’ effect on a child’s development in primary and secondary school. These children do better at reading, writing and maths at the ages of five, seven, 11 and 14. It was known till now that breast feeding boosts immunity and helps the children fight ear infections, stomach bugs and even asthma.

14 Mar 2011

Flu pandemics may return & mutating strains: Studies

Scientists have warned that we have not seen the end of H1N1 swine flu that swept the globe in 2009/10. The strain of the virus could easily morph into a more transmissible form, while an older, mid-20th century virus could also come roaring back they say. Asian influenza, a H2N2 strain, first appeared in 1957 and killed one to four million people despite a major vaccination campaign. Studies have shown that most people today aged 50 or older retain some immunity to the virus, which continues to circulate in birds and swine. But the younger are more vulnerable they warn.

12 Mar 2011

CIC to host Scientific Colloquium on tumor immunotherapy in National Harbor, MD

The Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium, a program of the nonprofit Cancer Research Institute, will host its 2011 Scientific Colloquium March 17-19, 2011, at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.

11 Mar 2011

Dietitian offers nutrition tips to obtain maximum health benefits

March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign sponsored by the American Dietetic Association to promote nutrition education. This year's theme is Eat Right with Color.

11 Mar 2011

Idera reports $6.0 million net loss for fourth quarter 2010

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2010.

10 Mar 2011

Illicit drug users may face increased risk of microbial infections

Illicit drug users are at increased risk of being exposed to microbial pathogens and are more susceptible to serious infections say physicians writing in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

10 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Romney's record, calling GOP's 'bluff', abortion/birth control funding

The center of the Obama health care reform — the part that has excited the ire of conservatives — is the individual mandate that says everyone must buy health insurance. Romney now says that given the chance, "I would repeal Obamacare." Yet Romney advocated, signed and bragged about a similar requirement in the Massachusetts reform passed while he was governor.

8 Mar 2011