Senator Hillary Clinton Signed The AIDS Pledge

Rumors had it that Senator Hillary Clinton did not have the intention of signing the AIDS pledge, that seeks a US presidential candidate to allot $50 billion to be used in the next 5 years to combat AIDS epidemic.

However, on October 26, Senator Clinton signed the pledge to support HIV/AIDS activists to fight the ever increasing problem of HIV and AIDS around the globe. Clinton's spokesman said that Senator Clinton signed the AIDS pledge but is also working on a formal AIDS policy that will help millions of people currently suffering HIV and AIDS.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 39.5 million people have HIV (2006). HIV Vaccine trials are underway and none of them have come up with an effective vaccine type that helps protect an individual to all HIV types since HIV mutates very fast and more and more are strains are becoming drug resistant.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides general information about HIV/AIDS.

HIV

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is different from most other viruses because it attacks the immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infections. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease.

Structure of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, courtesy of NIAID.

For more information view our questions and answers on HIV science.

Electron microscope image of HIV, seen as small spheres on the surface of white blood cells.

AIDS

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It can take years for a person infected with HIV, even without treatment, to reach this stage. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has a difficult time fighting infections. When someone has one or more of these infections and a low number of T cells, he or she has AIDS. For more information view our questions and answers on HIV science.

Genetic Predisposition A Likely Reason for Progression to AIDS Among Individuals with HIV

A new study at the University of Texas HealthScience Center in San Antonio were able to identity two specific genes that can be blamed for HIV-infected individuals' predisposition to AIDS. Two genes that were identified during the study, CCR5 and CCL3L1, were the main culprit as to why some people are more likely to develop AIDS than others.

Previously, it was thought that viral loads (the amount of virus present in the blood), was the primary determinant why individuals who are infected with HIV will more likely to develop than any other individuals. The new study reveals a different story.

Individuals with specific combination of the two genes above which controls the entry of HIV particles into cells with CD4 markers (certain binding sites for T4 white blood cells) and works on cellular immune response respectively have greater chances of their health condition to worsen compared to other individuals who don't. Read more at Science Daily.

This study was made possible by National Institute of Allergy andInfectious Diseases (NIAID) and was published at the October issue of Nature Immunology.

Hello!

Wow! Its been a long time I started visiting my blog again. Sorry for not updating. I just had a VERY BUSY life back in June and now I started to get over of everything that kept me busy for almost two quarters of this year. And I finally can say that I am now happy. :) Happy for all the good and bad experiences I had and I am proud that I was able to surpass all of them! I feel that I am a winner! Winner in my own right hehehe. :) With almost all people I know around committing suicide, I must say that I still realize the beauty of life and still positive about the future despite of all the pain I have been experiencing.

Perhaps, the secret to living well is appreciating what you have and considers that everything that is happening to us is just temporary, and its up to us if we will we use them to make us better individuals or will destroy us.

Life is about choices, I must say. Its all about decisions. Of course, there is no perfect decisions for you have to juggle all factors that affects your decision making. If you failed as a result of your decisions, then live with it and move on. Devise another plan and work on it. :) No one has done it perfectly smooth the first time. And if they did, they are lucky but that doesn't mean you are not good enough.

Live by faith and passion. That makes life meaningful. Its about finding meaning to your existence and how you appreciate all the people surrounding you and looking forward to making all your dreams come true. Kaya dapag lagi tayong happy! No one's gonna make you happy.

Sabi nga nang kaibigan kong si Roda, "Wag nating idepende sa iba ang kasiyahan natin. Kung di tayo mapasaya ng ibang tao, at least ibigay natin sa ating sarili ang kasiyahang hinahanap natin." Makes sense di ba? Tama nga ang tatay ko (kahit lagi kaming nag aaway hehe). Sabi kasi nya, "everybody has their own share". We may notice it pero people surrounding us inspires us everyday and in turn makes us better individuals. =)

Masaya nako and I can now say that I am ready to take on another challenging roles in life again. :) Go Jules!

Second-Generation HIV Drug that Treats Resistant HIV strains

An article published at the Scientific American website provide information on regarding "second-generation"HIV drug which combats resistant HIV virus.

The exciting drug etravirine (TMC125) is capable of treating HIV virus to the point of becoming undetectable in blood level serum*. Several hundreds to thousands of HIV/AIDS suffers who are becoming non-responsive to HIV cocktail treatments due to resistant AIDS virus. This drug brings hope to treating people with drug-resistant HIV strains.

Just like any other HIV medication, TMC125 is given alongside with other HIV drugs that works by halting the backend DNA viral replication of these particles, thereby, slowing down the progress of developing AIDS. TMC125 works by patching on the targeted opportunities of HIV drugs which failed to serve their function, that is, slowing down the activity of these viruses. All of these HIV drugs are a class of protease inhibitors which works by inhibiting the activity of the protease enzyme (an enzyme responsible for the replication of HIV's genetic material) thereby inhibiting the ability of the HIV virus to replicate itself.

AIDSmeds.com provides a simple yet informative definition of protease inhibitors (PIs): What are Protease Inhibitors (PIs)?

Protease Inhibitors (PIs) are a class of anti-HIV drugs. When one PI is used in combination with other anti-HIV drugs – usually a total of 3 drugs – then this combination therapy can block the replication of HIV in a person's blood.

Protease inhibitors prevent T-cells that have been infected with HIV from producing new copies of the virus.

When HIV infects a cell in a person's body, it copies it's own genetic code into the cell's DNA. In this way, the cell is then "programmed" to create new copies of HIV. Once HIV's genetic material (RNA) is inside a T-cell's DNA, the cell produces a long strand of genetic material that must be cut up and put together correctly to form new copies of the virus. Cutting up this strand requires a scissor-like enzyme called protease. PIs block this enzyme and prevent the cell from producing new viruses.

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Cure for HIV/AIDS FINALLY FOUND?

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics and the University of Hamburg's

Heinrich Pette Institute for Experimental Virology and Immunology have found ways on how they can remove AIDS virus from infected cells, thus, making them healthy once again.

Researchers at the above institutions created an enzyme (Tre) that cleaves (removes) HIV's (virus that causes AIDS) genetic material from the infected cells, allows reorganization of the host's genetic material and free living cells of the infective agent. The recombinant DNA technology was one of the techniques used in the experiment by using restriction endonucleases, a class of enzymes that cleaves (detach from end to end) specific sequence of genes in a specific cell's or organism's or, as in the case of viruses, particle's genetic material, in order to get the desired sequence of genes.

Through this wonderful research provides hope for the estimated 40 million individuals who are currently suffering the havoc of HIV/AIDS disease.

For more information, please visit the Scientific American website.

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

$30 Billion Funds for Budget to fight HIV/AIDS

While most or some of us are sometimes not in favor on how US handles the Iraq situation and all other international issues, I have nothing but praise to their apparent generosity when it comes to providing budget and products that sustainshealth, provides food and safety.

The Bush administration is seeking for a $30 billion fund, an additional $15 Billion to the current budget, to fight HIV/AIDS around the globe, especially in Africa.

While this seems to be a good move for the US government to curb the progress of HIV/AIDS across countries around the globe, it still is being criticized for its apparent lack of interest in issues regarding global climate change which I think will have a strong impact as a whole in US economy.

I just hope that along with the scientists' efforts to create a vaccine for HIV, I wish that they would also work on developing a cure for the disease: something that we all are hoping for along with other diseases such as hepatitis and cancer.

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

$50 Billion Funds for Budget to fight HIV/AIDS

While most or some of us are sometimes not in favor on how US handles the Iraq situation and all other international issues, I have nothing but praise to their apparent generosity when it comes to providing budget and products that sustainshealth, provides food and safety.

The Bush administration is seeking for a $30 billion fund, an additional $15 Billion to the current budget, to fight HIV/AIDS around the globe, especially in Africa.

While this seems to be a good move for the US government to curb the progress of HIV/AIDS across countries around the globe, it still is being criticized for its apparent lack of interest in issues regarding global climate change which I think will have a strong impact as a whole in US economy.

I just hope that along with the scientists' efforts to create a vaccine for HIV, I wish that they would also work on developing a cure for the disease: something that we all are hoping for along with other diseases such as hepatitis and cancer.

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

HIV/AIDS VACCINE

Wondering how the world should be like without AIDS? It can never be more enjoyable for millions of people who currently are suffering from HIV/AIDS all over the world. According to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, there are currently over 39 million people living with HIV worldwide and more than 2.8 million lives has been lost due to this debilitating disease. The need for a vaccine is currently one of the top priority in both developing and developed countries around the planet.


The international community is excited to work on researching and developing ways on how to come up with a universal solution that will combat HIV/AIDS pandemic. The menance that is brought by this incurable disease is immeasurable and seems to be beyond control.

The development of vaccine is one of the focus of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and is actively seeking participation both from the public and private sectors. Research and development should be one of the focal point of this initiative and should not be for personal gain of the priveleged few. Political support should also be seen as a guide to this long term pursuit of cure for people who are infected by this lethal agent. Commitment of leaders worldwide should be visibly seen in order to progress this novel research for cure. Philippines, let us show our support by becoming informed about the disease. Visit International AIDS Vaccine Initiative for more information. Be part of this battle! Let us fight for our friends and families! Let's fight for life!

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Abbott, Thailand and more...

A call from HIV/AIDS activists was made in more than 20 countries to boycott Abbot Laboratories drug products with regard to the treatment it is giving Thailand due to its recent provision on compulsory license on some HIV/AIDS drugs like Kaletra.

Thailand issued compulsory licenses on some drugs from heart disease to HIV/AIDS-related diseases and infection in order to help local patients who are in such condition. Thailand carries one of the biggest health burden in HIV/AIDS-related cases in the world.

Abbot who is an exclusive manufacturer of these popular anti-retroviraldrugs and was alleged to have been engaging in some sort of abusive pricing which is forcing a lot of countries to issue compulsory licenses and break patent on drugs that are currently registered with these big pharmaceutical companies.

While I think that this is harmful to Abbot side and beneficial to the government and people who uses it, it is sometimes best for these pharmaceutical companies to rethink and reconsider the prices theydictate to the market and to the general public. Monopoly seems to be the biggest problem and capitalism is becoming fatal.

Sometimes, before I go to sleep, I think that money really makes the world go round....

More information at the following sites:

Reuters
TheStar.com

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Accelerated Hepa B vaccine

www.intravene.net
Twinrix Vaccine

Interesting information for individuals who would like to receive hepatitis b vaccine but would like to maintain a considerable level of immunity due to time constraints. Please visit the following site. :)



http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Drug Treatments and Counselling for HIV/AIDS Patients

HIV Virus Replicating in T Cell

Perhaps, one of the most challenging part of people having HIV/AIDS is taking advantage of existing drug treatments that is available in the market today.

Sometimes, even when drugs are available, a patient could hardly support his or her own way to sustaining the medications due to its accompanying high cost.

In Asia, Japan perhaps has one of the most comprehensive treatment and support programs and facilities avaialble for patients suffering from HIV/AIDS disease.

The Suidobashi Misakicho Clinic located in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo provides clinic visits from 5pm to 8 pm daily and 1pm to 5pm on Saturdays. This is in addition to its daily hours of service and operation.

The Government of Japan is working on a plan to designate facilities and even installing newer ones in order to cater for people who are suffering from this debilitating disease. Even though cures are not yet available, effective treatments can be taken in order to keep the activity of the HIV/AIDS at a minimal level in order to provide patients more opportunity to enjoy life and work.

For more information, please visit DYO.

Visit the following blogsites for more health-related articles:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Hepa A and Hepa B Twin Vaccination Program

picture from: www.b3.blogger
Vaccine

A nice-to-know information about twin-vaccination program introduced by GlaxoSmithKline. Please read on the blog article in the blogsites below for more information.

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/

Germany Producing Anti-Cervical Cancer Vaccine

I just thought that this might be an interesting article to read for you regarding since a lot of women and men are infected with this virus. Read on. Let us be responsible and protect one another...

Healthlines.blogspot.com

Creation of New Generic Drugs by Thailand: A Model Nation

Thailand has shown its initiative with its consitituents who are suffering from deadly HIV/AIDS disease by creating generic drugs as a response to what they call national emergency.

As what everybody knows, Thailand issued compulsary licenses to two patented drugs known to treat HIV/AIDS and heart diseases. Abbot, a international drug pharmaceutical company who holds patent among these drugs expresses digusts about the outcome, threatening Thailand even more with not selling them drugs that the company will develop in the future.

This decision was part of an overwhelming demand for cheaper drugs because Thailand has the most number of HIV/AIDS patients in Asia at the very least with more than half a million patients infected by this virus. This demand even encourages health officials to develop cheaper patented drugs as they declare such national call.

Although I quite understand why Abbot behaved such way, what I despise is the way they dealt with the issue and stated that they will cease production and sales to Thailand due to the decision made by the incumbent government. It saddens me when pharmaceutical companies are suppose to work on the manufacture of quality drugs that are sold in a fair price.

Is that how capitalism should work in a certain community? Working on generating drugs that cure yet without a heart? Just asking.

For more information, please visit ETNA

Please view related sites:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Bitter Gourd: Treatment and Possible Cure for Hepatitis, Diabetes, Cancer and HIV/AIDS

Momordica charantia L. Amorgoso
also: karela; bitter melon; ampalaya

There has been a lof of information regarding bitter gourd or commonly known locally as "ampalaya'' regarding its wonderful medicinal effects.

Chemicals contained in bitter gourd such as ''momordin'' acts as a vital anticancer and antiviral chemical. In one study, it was even found out that the chemical inhibits the development and activity of Human Immununodeficiency Virus in an infected cells while keeping healthy cells unharmed.

Many indigenous communities of Mexico and Brazil and other South American countries are using bitter gourd as an effective vermicide (dewormer) and in treating minor tumor growth, disease of the gastrointestinal tract and the like.

Alpha- and beta-momorcharin and cucurbitacin-B, are just some of the chemicals found in bitter gourd that prevents cancer and tumor growth in healthy tissues. One chemical drug was developed to mimic the effect of a host of chemicals found in bitter gourd, which was patented and markted under the name MAP-30.

In many diabetic patients, the same chemicals are hypoglycemic in nature. They help pancreas in producing enough insulin and encourage liver to take up excess sugar in the blood. Chemicals such as alkaloids, steroidal saponins (charantins) and a type of peptides are working hand-in-hand in order to produce such effect.

A lot of research is going on in a lot of pharmaceutical companies in order to maximize the medicinal benefits of bitter gourd and its components. The future is exciting for patients suffering diseases that the chemicals that bitter gourd might only provide a cure.

More blog entries at :

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06

Bitter Gourd: Treatment (or Cure?) for Hepatitis, Cancer and HIV/AIDS

Reading on some of the documents about bitter groud, I have learned that bitter gourd contains chemicals, specifically the protein momordin, in combating

EU Working To Address HIV/AIDS Issues

The European Union is planning to schedule a meeting on June this year to tackle certain issues surrounding issues HIV/AIDS pandemic. The countries who are part of the European Union are working closely with health officials of their individual nations in order to develop plans and measures that would eventually eradicate HIV/AIDS in the world.

The plans include the development of AIDS vaccine and producing effective treatment, including but not limited to antiretroviral drugs among patients and low-cost drugs and treatment and installing treatment facilities among people infected by such virus.

Germany, the country who is holding the current presidency of the European Union is putting such issue at a top priority in order to help all people in this dreadful ailment. While the disease itself is a number one problem among nations and people infected with the virus, stigma and discrimination may also pose as a hindrance to patients' full access to drugs and operate in their immediate environment.

More readings at AllAfrica.COM

----

View more related blogs at:

http://juliusbio.blogspot.com/
http://healthlines.blogspot.com/
http://juliusbio.wordpress.com/
http://360.yahoo.com/julesyuri06