Journal of AIDS Oct. issue research highlights announced

Early changes of AIDS-related lymphoma; new approaches to promote circumcision to reduce HIV risk; updates on HIV lifetime costs of care and quality of life estimates

2013-09-20

(Press-News.org) Philadelphia, Pa. (September 19, 2013) – JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes announced its research article highlights from the October issue now available on the journal website. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer Health.

Earlier HIV Treatment Increases Costs But Improves Survival
(note: article first appeared online in April 2013 JAIDS as publish ahead of print) Updates of Lifetime Costs of Care and Quality of Life Estimates for HIV-Infected Persons in the United States: Late Versus Early Diagnosis and Entry into Care, led by Paul G. Farnham, PhD, of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the researchers performed simulations to estimate how the lifetime costs of care and health outcomes are affected by the stage of HIV disease at diagnosis and the start of treatment. Average lifetime costs ranged from $250,000 for patients starting treatment at a later stage (CD4 cell count 500 or lower) to between $400,000 and $600,000 for those entering treatment earlier (CD4 cell count less than 200).

But earlier diagnosis and treatment also derived more health benefits from HIV care, including about seven additional years of life. Patients with early diagnosis were also less likely to transmit HIV infection to other people.

"Early diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection increases lifetime costs but improves length and quality of life, and reduces the number of new infections transmitted by nearly 50 percent," Dr Farnham and coauthors write. The results lend new support for the concept of increasing the percentage of patients receiving appropriate medical treatment through each stage of the "HIV Care Continuum"—a central focus of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Activated B Cells Are Early Sign of AIDS-Related Lymphoma A research team led by Dr Otoniel Martínez-Maza of UCLA AIDS Institute identified a set of abnormal circulating immune cells (B cells) associated with the development of AIDS-NHL. Even with current antiretroviral medications, some types of AIDS-NHL continue to be common AIDS-defining cancers.

The researchers identified a subset of "activated" B cells present in the blood of HIV-infected patients years before the development of AIDS-HNL. Further experiments suggested that B cells developed the abnormal pattern of activation in response to a specific stimulus, called Toll-like receptor signaling. The findings lend new insights into how AIDS-NHL develops, and may lead to new approaches to early identification of patients at risk.

New Medical Circumcision Devices Need Further Development An editorial by Julia Samuelson and colleagues of the World Health Organization (WHO) discusses some new devices for adult male circumcision, which is associated with a significantly lower risk of female-to-male HIV transmission. To increase circumcision rates in areas where access to surgery is limited—particularly in East and Southern Africa—new types of devices for "voluntary medical male circumcision" have been developed. The WHO has developed a formal process for evaluating these devices.

Samuelson and coauthors note some conflicting results in preliminary studies, including concerns about the potential for adverse events. Other concerns include appropriate training of health care providers, the need for appropriate surgical resources to manage complications, and the acceptability of the devices to men and their partners. The authors conclude, "Current pilot studies, operations and implementation research in local settings along with experience will further inform the optimal use of a device-method in medical male circumcision for HIV prevention services in East and Southern Africa."

### Visit http://www.jaids.com for more information.

About JAIDS JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (http://www.JAIDS.com) is the trusted, interdisciplinary resource for HIV- and AIDS-related information with a strong focus on basic science, clinical science, and epidemiology. Co-edited by the foremost leaders in clinical virology, molecular biology, and epidemiology, JAIDS publishes vital information on the advances in diagnosis and treatment of HIV infections, as well as the latest research in the development of therapeutics and vaccine approaches. This ground-breaking journal brings together rigorously peer-reviewed articles, reviews of current research, results of clinical trials, and epidemiologic reports from around the world.

About Wolters Kluwer Health Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide, Wolters Kluwer Health's customers include professionals, institutions and students in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include Health Language®, Lexicomp®, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Medicom®, Medknow, END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

NASA sees heavy rains and hot towers in Hurricane Manuel

2013-09-20

NASA's TRMM satellite passed over Manuel on Sept. 19 at 0116 UTC and measured its rainfall as it was strengthening into a hurricane. TRMM noticed heavy rainfall and some hot towering thunderstorms, which were indications that the storm was intensifying. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image that showed Manuel was making landfall during the morning of Sept. 19, and at 11 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Manuel officially made landfall near Culican, Mexico. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for La Cruz to Topolobampo and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from north of Topolobampo ...

Tropical Depression Humberto fizzling, 2 areas developing

2013-09-20

Imagery from NOAA's GOES-East satellite on Sept. 19 showed Tropical Depression Humberto had lost its organization, while one tropical low struggled near Bermuda, and another one was taking shape in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. NASA's HS3 hurricane mission is sending an unmanned Global Hawk aircraft to investigate the developing system in the Gulf. NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided a visible image of the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 19 at 7:45 a.m. EDT that showed the three tropical systems. The image was created by the NASA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight ...

Disarming HIV with a 'pop'

2013-09-20

VIDEO: The Dual Action Virolytic Entry Inhibitor (DAVEI) molecule tricks HIV into popping itself by making it behave as if it's attached to a healthy cell. DAVEI triggers the virus to... Click here for more information. Pinning down an effective way to combat the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus, the viral precursor to AIDS, has long been challenge task for scientists and physicians, because the virus is an elusive one that mutates frequently and, as a result, ...

Could dog food additive prevent disabling chemotherapy side effect?

2013-09-20

Working with cells in test tubes and in mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that a chemical commonly used as a dog food preservative may prevent the kind of painful nerve damage found in the hands and feet of four out of five cancer patients taking the chemotherapy drug Taxol. The Food and Drug Administration-approved preservative, an antioxidant called ethoxyquin, was shown in experiments to bind to certain cell proteins in a way that limits their exposure to the damaging effects of Taxol, the researchers say. The hope, they say, is to build on the protective ...

NIH study establishes benefits of bracing in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis

2013-09-20

Bracing in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis reduces the likelihood that the condition will progress to the point that surgery is needed, according to a study published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The work was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a curvature of the spine with no clear underlying cause. In mild cases, monitoring over time by a physician may be all that is needed. However, in more severe ...

First real-time detector for IV delivered drugs may help eliminate life-threatening medical errors

2013-09-20

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2013—Today, computerized smart systems can deliver drugs intravenously in exact volumes to hospital patients. However, these systems cannot recognize which medications are in the tubing nor can they determine the concentration of the drug in the tubing. This lack of precise information can lead to medication errors with serious consequences. Now, a new optical device developed by a team of electrical and computer engineering students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) can identify the contents of the fluid in an intravenous ...

Algae biofuel cuts CO2 emissions more than 50 percent compared to petroleum

2013-09-20

MINNEAPOLIS (September 19, 2013) –Algae-derived biofuel can reduce life cycle CO2 emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to petroleum fuels, and is approaching a similar Energy Return on Investment (EROI) as conventional petroleum according to a new peer-reviewed paper published in Bioresource Technology. The study, which is the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration scale farm, shows that the environmental and energy benefits of algae biofuel are at least on par, and likely better, than first generation biofuels. "This study affirms ...

Antibacterial products fuel resistant bacteria in streams and rivers

2013-09-20

(Millbrook, N.Y.) Triclosan – a synthetic antibacterial widely used in personal care products – is fueling the development of resistant bacteria in streams and rivers. So reports a new paper in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, which is the first to document triclosan resistance in a natural environment. Invented for surgeons in the 1960s, triclosan slows or stops the growth of bacteria, fungi, and mildew. Currently, around half of liquid soaps contain the chemical, as well as toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, liquid cleansers, and detergents. Triclosan ...

Overfishing of sharks is harming coral reefs

2013-09-20

A team of scientists from Canada and Australia has discovered that a decline in shark populations is detrimental to coral reefs. "Where shark numbers are reduced due to commercial fishing, there is also a decrease in the herbivorous fishes which play a key role in promoting reef health," said Jonathan Ruppert, a recent University of Toronto PhD graduate. Ruppert was part of a team engaged in long-term monitoring of reefs off Australia's northwest coast. Team leader Mark Meekan, of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), said that the results might, at first ...

Can financial incentives inspire exercise?

2013-09-20

TORONTO, ON - When it comes to sticking to an exercise plan, we're all looking for solutions to ensure that new healthy habits transform into long-term lifestyle changes. PhD candidate Marc Mitchell has published findings in the September online issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggesting that receiving coupons and vouchers for as little as five dollars can help people stick to new fitness regimes. Under the guidance of Professors Jack Goodman and Guy Faulkner, Mitchell has completed a systematic review of research into the efficacy of financial ...

Journal of AIDS Oct. issue research highlights announced

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: