Keeping the flu away: Synthetic protein activates immune system within two hours

ScienceDaily (July 6, 2012) — San Diego State University researchers at the Donald P. Shiley BioScience Center may have found the secret to helping the immune system fight off the flu before it gets you sick.

See Also:Health & MedicineInfluenzaCold and FluBird FluPlants & AnimalsBird Flu ResearchVirologyMiceLiving WellReferenceFlu vaccineAntiviral drugPathogenHPV vaccine

A new study published July 6 in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE, finds that EP67, a powerful synthetic protein, is able to activate the innate immune system within just two hours of being administered.

Prior to this study, EP67 had been primarily used as an adjuvant for vaccines, something added to the vaccine to help activate the immune response. But Joy Phillips, Ph.D. a lead author of the study with her colleague Sam Sanderson, Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, saw potential for it to work on its own.

"The flu virus is very sneaky and actively keeps the immune system from detecting it for a few days until you are getting symptoms," Phillips said. "Our research showed that by introducing EP67 into the body within 24 hours of exposure to the flu virus caused the immune system to react almost immediately to the threat, well before your body normally would."

Because EP67 doesn't work on the virus but on the immune system itself, it functions the same no matter the flu strain, unlike the influenza vaccine which has to exactly match the currently circulating strain.

Phillips said while this study focuses on the flu, EP67 has the potential to work on other respiratory diseases and fungal infections and could have huge potential for emergency therapeutics.

"When you find out you've been exposed to the flu, the only treatments available now target the virus directly but they are not reliable and often the virus develops a resistance against them," Phillips said. "EP67 could potentially be a therapeutic that someone would take when they know they've been exposed that would help the body fight off the virus before you get sick."

It could even be used in the event of a new strain of infectious disease, before the actual pathogen has been identified, as in SARS or the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak, Phillips said.

Right now, the testing has been done primarily in mice by infecting them with a flu virus. Those that were given a dose of EP67 within 24 hours of the infection didn't get sick (or as sick) as those that were not treated with EP67.

The level of illness in mice is measured by weight loss. Typically, mice lose approximately 20 percent of their weight when they are infected with the flu but mice treated with EP67 lost an average of just six percent. More importantly, mice who were treated a day after being infected with a lethal dose of influenza did not die, Phillips said.

She said there are also huge implications for veterinary applications, since EP67 is active in animals, including birds.

Future research will examine the effect EP67 has in the presence of a number of other pathogens and to look closer at exactly how EP67 functions within different cells in the body.

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Study Digs Into Secrets of Keeping HIV in Check

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Keeping Your Family Safe From Dog Bites

HealthDay – 1 hr 18 mins ago SATURDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- More than 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and more than half of those victims are younger than age 14, experts say.

During National Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 20 to 26), the American Academy of Pediatrics is joining with the American Veterinary Medical Association and the U.S. Postal Service to educate people about dog safety.

They offer many tips to help parents protect their children from dog bites.

If your family is planning to get a dog, choose a suitable breed. Collies and Labrador retrievers are among the breeds recommended as generally safe with children. Talk to your veterinarian for more information about how different breeds behave.Dogs need to be socialized. You can do this by gradually exposing your puppy to a variety of people and other animals so it feels at ease in these situations. Continue this training as your dog gets older.Training is essential. Commands create a bond of obedience and trust between people and dogs.Don't wrestle or play aggressive games such as tug-of-war with your dog.Neutering your dog will make it less likely to bite, and you need to vaccinate your dog against rabies and other diseases.Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog. Teach children not to bother a dog if it is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies, and teach them not to run past a dog.If a dog threatens you, remain calm, avoid eye contact and either stand still until the dog leaves or back away slowly. If an aggressive dog knocks you down, curl into a ball and protect your face with your hands.If a dog bites you or your child, clean small wounds with soap and water and seek medical care for larger wounds. Contact the dog's veterinarian to check vaccination records.

More information

The Nemours Foundation offers tips for selecting safe pets.

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Keeping obesity rates level could save nearly $550 billion over 2 decades

 ShareKeeping Obesity Rates Level Could Save Nearly $550 Billion Over 2 DecadesScienceDaily (May 7, 2012) — Researchers have forecast the cost savings and rise in obesity prevalence over the next two decades in a new public health study.

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"Keeping obesity rates level could yield a savings of nearly $550 billion in medical expenditures over the next two decades," according to lead author Eric Finkelstein, PhD, associate research professor in the Duke Global Health Institute, as well as deputy director in the Health Services Research Program at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore.

The forecasting study also found that 42 percent of the U.S. population could be obese by 2030.

The findings suggest the U.S. health care system could be burdened with 32 million more obese people within two decades. Action is needed to keep rates from increasing further, according to the research from Duke University, RTI International, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The study, based on data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and state-level data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other organizations, was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on May 7.

The study also forecasts an increase in the number of individuals with severe obesity, with rates rising to 11 percent by 2030. Severe obesity is defined as a body mass index over 40 or roughly 100 pounds overweight.

Severely obese individuals are at highest risk for the health conditions caused by excess weight, resulting in substantially greater medical expenditures and rates of absenteeism.

"Should these forecasts prove accurate, the adverse health and cost consequences of obesity are likely to continue to escalate without a significant intervention," notes senior author Justin Trogdon, PhD, of RTI.

The study was released May 7 at CDC's Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, D.C.

"We know more than ever about the most successful strategies that will help Americans live healthier, more active lives and reduce obesity rates and medical costs," said William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, director of CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.

"People need to make healthy choices, but the healthy choices must first be available and accessible in order to make them," Dietz said. "In the coming days at our Weight of the Nation conference, CDC and its partners will emphasize the proven, effective strategies and solutions that must continue to be applied to help make the healthy choice the easy choice."

On May 8, a set of potential solutions will be released at the CDC conference. The Institute of Medicine will issue a new report, "Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation," which provides the results of a comprehensive review of obesity prevention-related recommendations. The report will identify strategies and action steps that have the greatest potential to speed up progress in combating the obesity crisis.

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Personal Dental Care: Keeping Your Teeth Extremely Healthy

April 9, 2012 by admin

Having a very busy lifestyle is definitely not an excuse to neglect your personal dental care. You don’t really want to have plaque and other bacteria staying inside your mouth, right?

It takes just a few minutes a day for you to combat and prevent the spread of bacteria, plaque and cavities in your mouth. Simple tooth brushing and mouth care procedures can take your teeth a long way.

Simple Brushing Tips Brushing just the front of your teeth won’t do your teeth a lot of good. When you brush your teeth, don’t just focus on your front teeth just because you think that they are the ones more exposed to world. You also have to brush your teeth along the sides and those located at the back of your mouth. Visit – Teeth Whitening Liverpool

When you brush your teeth, don’t be too harsh on your gums.

Make sure that your brush strokes should be away from your gums, not towards. When you brush your teeth, try not to rush. The suggested time spent for brushing one’s teeth is at least three minutes.

If you don’t really want to exceed three minutes, you can use a timer or play a song that lasts for three minutes. Choosing the right toothbrush would also make your brushing time more enjoyable.

If you are not comfortable with your toothbrush anymore, there’s no reason for you not to ditch it and buy a new one. If you have sensitive teeth and gums, a toothbrush with soft bristles would be perfect for you. However, if you have pretty strong teeth, you can use medium or hard bristles for you to clean your teeth better.

It is also advised that you change your toothbrush every three months.

If it’s hard for you to keep track of the days and months, you can opt to buy a toothbrush that comes with a color indicator that would tell you that it’s time to change your toothbrush.

Learn To Floss Your Teeth As most dental care commercials would say, brushing alone is not enough to ensure that your mouth and teeth is 100% clean.

True enough, you can’t really guarantee that you will end up having extremely clean teeth by just brushing alone. If you want to take the cleanliness and freshness of your teeth and mouth to the net level, then you might want to learn how to floss your teeth.

People who floss for the first time may find it a bit weird and difficult to do. However, with enough practice, flossing can become an easy job. Dental floss helps a lot in getting rid of food remnants stuck in your teeth where toothbrushes can’t reach.

Visit Your Dentist Now that you already know the basic steps in maintaining a healthy set of teeth; it doesn’t mean that you can already skip visits to your dentist.

It is still very important to visit your dentist at least twice a year because there are really some procedures (such as oral prophylaxis) that only dentists can do.

Having your teeth cleaned professionally by a dentist is really a different and better experience than simple brushing and flossing. Enhance your personal dental care by integrating regular brushing and flossing and visiting the dentist at least twice a year.

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