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Published : Tuesday, June 12, 2012 00:00 Article Views : 151 Written by : AFP

PARIS: Scientists said that they had found a key clue on why a tiny minority of individuals infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has a natural ability to fight off AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

In a study they said holds promise for an HIV vaccine, researchers from four countries reported that the secret lies not in the number of infection-killing cells a person has, but in how well they work.

According to previous research, only about one person in 300 has the ability to control the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) without drugs, using a strain of killer cells called cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) cells.

Taking that discovery further, scientists from the United States, Canada, Japan and Germany reported that the strain has molecules called receptors that are better able to identify HIV-infected white blood cells for attack.

Until now, it was well-known that people with HIV have tons of these killer cells, Bruce Walker, an infectious diseases expert at the Ragon Institute in Massachusetts, told Agence France-Presse.

We have been scratching our heads since then, asking how, with so many killer cells around, people are getting AIDS. It turns out there is a special quality that makes them [some cells] better at killing, he said.

The study looked at 10 infected people, of whom five took antiretroviral drugs to keep HIV under control while the rest were so-called elite controllers who remained naturally healthy.

HIV kills a type of white blood cell called CD4, leaving people with AIDS wide open to other, opportunistic and potentially deadly infections.

What we found was that the way the killer cells are able to see infected cells and engage them was different, Walker said.

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Secret of HIV killer cells revealed

A parasitic mite helps spread a deadly virus among honey bee colonies.

By Cristina Luiggi | June 11, 2012

A parasitic mite (Varroa destructor) that feeds on the blood of honeybees has helped spread a deadly strain of the virus implicated in the deaths of millions of honeybees worldwide. Known as deformed wing virus (DWV), the RNA virus causes wing and abdominal deformities, suppresses the immune system, and affects the behavior of infected bees.

The mite was accidentally brought over to Hawaii 5 years ago and quickly began affecting honeybee populations, though it has yet to reach all bees on the islandsaffording researchers, led by Stephen Martin from the University of Sheffield, the unique opportunity to study infected and uninfected bee colonies. They found that the mite drastically altered the normal viral landscape of bees, which typically carry billions of different viral strains, and specifically selected for deformed wing virusincreasing its frequency in infected colonies from 10 percent to 100 percent.

Although it remains unclear how the Varroa mite helps the deformed wing virus thrive, the new study, published last week (June 8) in Science, points to effective ways to stop the spread of the virus. So the only way to control the virus is to control the levels of the mite, Martin told BBC News.

By Sabrina Richards

Bees exposed to neonicotinoids, a widely-used class of pesticide, navigate poorly and produce fewer queens, suggesting a role for neonicotinoids in colony collapse.

By Jef Akst

A new subtype of the flu virus is identified in Guatemalan yellow-shouldered bats, and it may share its genes with the human version.

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Honey Bee Killer

Study has shown scientists how to find and measure 'good cells' that can recognise and kill infected cells, but they still do not know how to generate them

By Claire Bates

PUBLISHED: 11:13 EST, 11 June 2012 | UPDATED: 11:13 EST, 11 June 2012

It has long been known that a tiny minority of people infected with HIV have a natural ability to fight off the deadly AIDS virus. Scientists said they are now a step closer to understanding why.

In a study they said holds promise for an HIV vaccine, researchers from four countries reported the secret lies not in the number of infection-killing cells a person has, but in how well they work.

Only about one person in 300 has the ability to control the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) without drugs, using a strain of 'killer' cells called cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) cells, previous research has found.

Mature HIV virus infection (blue) in human lymphatic tissue. One in 300 people have 'killer' cells that recognise and destroy the HIV infection

Taking that discovery further, scientists from the United States, Canada, Japan and Germany reported that the strain has molecules called receptors that are better able to identify HIV-infected white blood cells for attack.

Until now, it was well known that people with HIV 'have tonnes of these killer cells,' said Bruce Walker, an infectious diseases expert at the Ragon Institute in Massachusetts.

Read the original here:
HIV: People with rare natural ability to fight AIDS virus have potent 'killer' cells that recognise and destroy ...

Four People Killed in Sacramento Home Invasion Four People Killed in Sacramento Home Invasion

Updated: Sunday, June 10 2012 3:12 PM EDT2012-06-10 19:12:34 GMT

Updated: Sunday, June 10 2012 1:51 PM EDT2012-06-10 17:51:03 GMT

Updated: Sunday, June 10 2012 1:41 PM EDT2012-06-10 17:41:04 GMT

Updated: Monday, June 11 2012 11:16 AM EDT2012-06-11 15:16:37 GMT

SPRING CREEK, Nev. (AP) - Students at a northeastern Nevada high school were surprised when they received their diplomas: the word "graduation" was misspelled as "graduataion."

Spring Creek High Principal Keith Walz told the Elko Daily Free Press (http://bit.ly/KHySBs ) that the misspelling on about 200 diplomas ordered from the Salt Lake City company Jostens was an "inadvertent mistake."

Jostens spokesman Bryan Durfey acknowledges the company was responsible for the mistake, and says corrected diplomas already have been sent by priority mail directly to graduates.

He says the company realizes it isn't going to be perfect, and its policy is to fix errors immediately.

The school will not be charged for the extra diplomas.

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Word misspelled on NV high school's diplomas

The FTSE 100 surged early on Monday, squeezed higher after euro zone finance ministers agreed to lend Spain up to $125 billion to help its battered banks and Chinese trade data outperformed weak expectations.

By 0755 GMT, London's blue chip index <.FTSE> rose 83.44 points, or 1.5 percent to 5,518.52, having closed cautiously lower on Friday after a two-day rally as investors awaited the announcement from Spain.

Banks <.FTNMX8350> climbed 2.1 percent after the amount agreed on Saturday was more than expected and boosted confidence that policymakers would take the necessary steps to shore-up Europe's banking system, although broader worries over the health the euro zone remain.

"Going forward it's great because I can go to Ibiza and relax on holiday and I do not need to take a suitcase of cash out and hopefully I can use the cash machines without worrying, but to be perfectly honest that is all (the bank bailout) means," David Morrison, strategist at GFT Global, said.

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Questions linger over whether the amount agreed will be enough with Spain still awaiting the results of an independent banking audit, and how that will impact other indebted nations such as Ireland and in particular Greece, which goes to the polls for the second time this weekend to try to elect a new government.

Traders said although the Spanish bank bailout has reduced risk to the financial sector, sluggish economic growth, key to countries being able to pay down their debts, remains unaddressed.

"Given the increase in its sovereign debt ratios and poor macro backdrop we worry that full bailout by the autumn is still likely... We think the short squeeze will not last beyond a few weeks and would use the bounce as an opportunity to reduce exposure," Mislav Matejka, an analyst at JPMorgan said.

The FTSE 100 was already off its early high of 5,536.27 and is still in bear territory with major resistance seen around the 5,600 level, which is the 61.8 percent retracement of the LTRO rally which began in December.

Equities, however, enjoyed a short squeeze with the UK's benchmark index down 7.9 percent since mid-March, when fears over Spain's ability to meet austerity targets surfaced.

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FTSE rallies after Spain agrees bank bailout