Weak Spot Found in HIV Virus. Possible Clue to Cure!

Researchers have learned something about the HIV virus that may be the key to finding a cure for AIDS.   They found that there is a sugar along the protein coat of the virus that is susceptible to the attack of directed antibodies.

Interestingly enough, it seems that the original virus responsible for infection does NOT contain this sugar.  Only after it mutates over time within the body over time and under pressure of the immune system, is the sugar present on the outer coat.  This particular weak point is found on 2/3 of HIV viruses.

Future drugs would likely need to contain antibodies that attack this particular weak point along with some other weak points to be effective for most.

For more details on this study READ HERE.

Finally! Scentists Invent the Ouchless Bandage.

You would think that a painless bandage would have been developed years ago!  We all have experienced the pain of pulling off a band-aid, especially when there is hair that is ripped out with its removal.

This can be an even worse for newborn babies whose skin is extremely fragile.

After observing spider webs and gecko feet for inspiration, MIT biomedical engineers have created a type of adhesive tape with three layers. A non-sticky backing and an adhesive layer are connected by an anti-adhesive layer.  The bandage is able to stick by a pattern on the non-adhesive section and does not pull when removed.

Yeah...I don't get it either, but if it works that's all that matters.

SOURCE

Black Women Die Sooner After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

According to a study by the American Cancer Society, black women diagnosed with breast cancer were 50% more likely to die within three years than white women with breast cancer.

The study also found that Asian women were 40% less likely than white women to die of breast cancer in the first three years after diagnosis.

On average, the black women were diagnosed at a later stages of the disease.  These findings are preliminary but reinforce the importance of early detection, especially for black women.

Obesity Can Affect Sense of Smell. Fat Cells May Change Olfaction.

We all know that obesity can cause heart disease, stroke and diabetes but research is looking into other effects of carrying excess fat in the body.  Fat cells produce substances of their own that can affect other organs and systems.

Focus is being placed on the olfactory bulb, which contains the most insulin receptors outside the pancreas.  Researchers bred mice that had a highly sensitive sense of smell.  These mice remained thin, even when fed a high fat diet.  When they removed the olfactory bulb from these mice, they were no longer resistant to obesity.

It's not determined yet how smell and obesity are connected, but theoretically it appears that fat cells may produce some kind of chemical that affects olfaction.  Or maybe it's the other way around: People with faulty senses of smell are more prone to obesity.  Future tests may focus on ways to alter or improve one's sense of smell for the purpose of weight loss.

SOURCE

New Quick HIV Test for Babies in Africa

In Afica, where HIV is such an epidemic, early detection is necessary to ensure the best prognosis.  An untreated HIV positive baby will likely die before they turn two years old.  A company is testing out a new way of testing for HIV very early.  The test requires a drop of blood from the baby's heel and results are returned in just less than an hour. If the baby is HIV positive treatment will begin immediately.

The test works by detecting a low level of a core protein made by the virus.

Before, the test was sent out for processing and results would take 3 months. 

Read more HERE.

Coffee Made of Elephant Poop? Black Ivory Blend.

A Thai hotel is selling Black Ivory blend coffee brewed from coffee beans that have been digested and excreted in the dung of elephants.   The coffee beans are picked out of the poop by the elephant trainers and dried in the sun.

The price is not cheap, costing $50 for two cups.  Apparently this elephant poop coffee is so desirable because during the digestion process enzymes break down the protein in the coffee beans.  Protein is the cause of the bitterness in coffee, so this Black Ivory blend is less bitter, if at all.

SOURCE

Woman Loses Weight By Eating & Drinking at Starbucks!

A 66-year old librarian lost 88 pounds by eating at Starbucks for two years.  Her Starbucks Diet consisted mostly of black coffee, oatmeal and bistro boxes. She stuck to a 900 daily calorie allowance which was easy to keep track of  because the calories are conveniently listed on the packaging.

The woman spent an estimated $154 dollars a week to sustain this diet.  This seems like a lot but the average person spends $151 dollars a week to eat.

It's simple math and determination that made her successful at the weight loss and the same can be done at any other fast food chain or with any other diet.  The most important concern at hand may be if this method of weight loss allows a person to get all of the necessary nutrients. In the long run, is the Starbucks diet healthy if done consistently?

SOURCE