Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Saturday Morning Science
In 2003, on board the International Space Station, Science Officer Don Pettit conducted several experiments regarding simple tasks in a microgravity environment. Here is a compilation of his demonstrations.
Friday, December 5, 2008
AIDS non-progressors
A new breakthrough in understanding the ability of HIV infected persons to control the disease is reported in the new issue of Immunity.
The natural course of Human Immunodeficiency Virus is such that it attacks essential cells in the human immune system such as T cells (CD4+ T helper lymphocytes) and the T cell generators of the thymus (thymocytes). The viral load eventually overruns the immune system leaving it susceptible to infection as AIDS. Current treatments with antiretroviral medication decrease the rate of mortality drastically, however, eluding scientific explanation, some immune systems have been found to naturally control HIV infection, duly dubbed "non-progressors."
It has previously been recorded that non-progressors have a higher count of CD8+ T cells, yet researchers did not understand the function of these cells until recently. CD8+ T cells were observed attacking HIV infected cells. A protein called perforin enable the CD8+ T cells to puncture the membrane of infected cells while molecules of the cytotoxic granzyme B rushed in to destroy the cells conjunctively like a poisoned dagger. These new findings provide hope in developing a vaccine and effective treatment for staying the disease.
The natural course of Human Immunodeficiency Virus is such that it attacks essential cells in the human immune system such as T cells (CD4+ T helper lymphocytes) and the T cell generators of the thymus (thymocytes). The viral load eventually overruns the immune system leaving it susceptible to infection as AIDS. Current treatments with antiretroviral medication decrease the rate of mortality drastically, however, eluding scientific explanation, some immune systems have been found to naturally control HIV infection, duly dubbed "non-progressors."
It has previously been recorded that non-progressors have a higher count of CD8+ T cells, yet researchers did not understand the function of these cells until recently. CD8+ T cells were observed attacking HIV infected cells. A protein called perforin enable the CD8+ T cells to puncture the membrane of infected cells while molecules of the cytotoxic granzyme B rushed in to destroy the cells conjunctively like a poisoned dagger. These new findings provide hope in developing a vaccine and effective treatment for staying the disease.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)