Gladstone scientists identify human proteins that may fuel HIV/AIDS transmission

The article I read shows the research scientists did to narrow down the protein that transmitts HIV/AIDS. Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered new protein fragments in semen that enhance the ability of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to infect new cells; a discovery that one day could help kill the global spread of this deadly illness. Earlier, scientists in Germany discovered that HIV transmission is linked to the presence of an amyloid fibril in semen. Warner C. Greene, MD, PhD, found a second type of fibril that also has the ability to spread the disease. This finding may help slow down or in the future stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Alien Planet

Scientist say, as of December 5, 2011 an alien planet could host new life. Discovery News posted an article online showing the new planet's region. Scientist have named the planetKepler-22b, has been found in the "habitable zone" , where water could exist. The planet is the smallest to be found past our orbit system, but could be 2.4 times the size of earth. Scientists are still doing research to figure out if this planet can withstain life. Kepler-22b is just one of ten planets that resembles earth. To think new life can consist on a new planet, is something I dont think any one can imagine, but to see that it could be a possibilty is showing how far our technology has grown.

http://news.discovery.com/space/alien-planet-found-in-habitable-zone-111205.html

TRIM5 fights HIV

Thanks to the protein TRIM5, rhesus monkeys are resistant to HIV. The TRIM5 protein prevents the virus from multiplying once it has entered the cell. Scientists discovered the mechanism in the protein, which could help discover ways to fight HIV in humans. We have known about the TRIM5 protein for over six years but the mechanism that it uses to prevent HIV was still largely unknown.

The study showed that the TRIM5 immediatly triggers an immune response if infected with HIV. Humans also have a TRIM5 protein, but it is not as effective at fighting off HIV. But the discovery of this in certain monkeys has opened up new possibilities in fending of the HIV virus in Humans.

I think its really great that such a protein could be immune to a virus that so widely affects our population. Even if the protein of TRIM5 we have isn't as effective, the TRIM5 in monkeys may one day be able with treatment of those who have HIV.

Nanoparticle vs. Superbug

On Monday, April 4, 2011, IBM announced information on their development of a new technology that combats and conquers drug-resistant bacteria. This drug-resistant bacteria, aka superbugs, are responsible for thousands of deaths every year. The most famous example of a superbug is MRSA. The researchers at IBM developed a new nanoparticle that essentially breaks down the cell membrane of drug-resistant bacteria, leaving the cell to biochemically degrade harmlessly inside the body. The new technology works by using "biodegradable plastic to engineer electrically charged nanoparticles that in turn attract to the bacteria’s opposite charge, in turn destroying the membrane walls hence the cell entirely." Other antibiotics work to destroy the DNA of the bacteria, which is almost always effective. Sometimes, however, not all of the bacteria is destroyed, and the remaining bacteria develops a resistance to the anitbiotics previously used, leading to a strain of superbugs. The new medicine developed by IBM destroys the bacteria's cell membrane, allowing it to degrade inside the body. Since the medicine is also composed of only organic materials, the human body can safely dispose of it, meaning that there are no side effects like most medicines can have. This new system was testing on mice infected with MRSA and proved to be very successful. IBM is in the process of setting up human trials with several pharmaceutical companies.

This article made me very happy! Hearing that someone finally had a breakthrough in developing medicine to fight drug-resistant bacteria gives me hope that breakthroughs for other diseases such as cancer or HIV/AIDS can happen as well. This discovery can lead to saving thousands and even millions of lives! Hopefully they can get the CDC to approve this new medicine rather soon so we don't have to worry about the new superbug in hospitals anymore (see "Superbug Runs Rampant").

Eat Your Broccoli

It has always been known that a chemical in broccoli, cauliflower, and other related vegetables contained a chemical called isothiocyanate to reduce the risk of cancer, however, there was no definite answer as to how.

According to Discovery News, recent research at Georgetown University found that isothiocyanate sticks to a defective protein found in cancerous cells. The broccoli-born chemical only binds to the protein when it is defective. The normal version is left alone.

The gene p53 is in control of the production of the defective protein found in cancerous cells. When functioning normally, p53 helps stop cells from uncontrollably replicating, however, when it becomes mutated, the protein becomes defective. Research also indicates that the mutated p53 genes are more resistant to chemical cancer treatments.

Eating broccoli may help reduce cancer risks because the presence of isothiocyanate was seen to increase the death rate of cancer cells with the p53 mutation. Cauliflower is also great to eat because the isothiocyanate has been found to kill breast cancer cells.

I found this article simple and to the point. I think it’s funny how our parents always told us, “Eat your broccoli!” I even told my mom to read this article and she just laughed and said, “I told you so.” I think it’s great that a common vegetable such as broccoli or cauliflower can reduce the risk of certain cancers. Hopefully they can find cancer-reducing agents in foods such as cookies, cakes, etc. :)

New Dinosaur Discovered: "Thunder Thighs"

A new type of dinosaur was recently discovered in Utah. The bones of the dino have been in a museum in Utah for about 10 years, but it was not until recently that paleontologists like Matt Wedel and Mike Taylor took a second look at the bones and unearthed their mystery. The bones belong to a new species of sauropod named Brontomerus mcintoshi, brontomerus literally meaning "thunder thighs" and mcintoshi after John "Jack" Mcintoshi, a world authority on sauropods. The bones belonged to two separate dinosaurs; a larger adult dino (6 tons, 14 meters in length, about the size of an elephant) and a smaller juvenile (200 kg, 4.5 meters, pony-sized) are thought to be a mother and her young. The special feature of this dinosaur is its unusually large hip bone, definitely much larger than that of any other sauropod. The enlarged hip bone protrudes forward, and it is suspected that this animal had very powerful leg muscles (hence the name "thunder thighs") that would have been used for defense against predators and for flattering the ladies ;-]

While the Brontomerus mcintoshi's unusual hip structure and abnormally large thigh muscles place it in the list of most extreme dinos, this discovery is significant for another reason. For the longest time, it was believed and accepted that sauropods were the most prosperous during the Jurassic Age, but died off during the Early Cretaceous Period. In the last 20 years however, new discoveries, including this one, place sauropods in the Early Cretaceous Period as a diverse and fruitful family. It is still believed, however, that they were much less abundant during the Early Cretaceous Period than they were during the Jurassic Age.

I found this new discovery interesting and honestly rather humorous because of the literal meaning of the dinosaur's name. I'm not really into paleontology that much, so I figured most dinosaurs had already been discovered and all were present and accounted for. To see that new dinos are being discovered even today, 110 million years after their existance, is pretty overwhelming. But like I said, the title "Thunder Thighs" is what really caught my eye.

Article found here!