424 news posts in Health

Health

24 Mar 2014

World Tuberculosis Day 2014

To mark World Tuberculosis Day (24 March), Frontiers presents a selection of articles on the latest research, concepts and innovations in the field of TB. Resistance in tuberculosis: what do we know and where can we go? Frontiers in Microbiology (Keith D. Green and Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova) Many strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are becoming increasingly drug-resistant. A mini-review covers how different M. tuberculosis strains resist anti-tuberculosis drugs and how these resistance mechanisms can be overcome. Current and Novel Approaches to Vaccine Development Against Tuberculosis Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Antonio Campos-Neto, Mark Cayabyab and Lilia Macovei) There is currently no vaccine available to protect adults against M. tuberculosis. This review focuses on the current strategies and innovations being explored to create an effective tuberculosis vaccine. The response of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species Frontiers in Microbiology (Iona Bartek, Martin I Voskuil, Gary K. Schoolnik and Kevin Visconti) This paper studies how M. tuberculosis responds to a number of damaging highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, one of the body’s primary defenses against M. tuberculosis infection. Functional characterization and evolution of the isotuberculosinol operon in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related Mycobacteria Frontiers in Microbiology (Reuben J Peters, Francis M Mann, Meimei Xu and Emily K Davenport) This article attempts to understand the function of two M. […]

Health

28 Nov 2013

World AIDS Day 2013

World AIDS Day, held every year on 1 December, is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. In this first of two blog posts dedicated to World AIDS Day, Frontiers presents a selection of articles on HIV and AIDS research. Eradication of HIV and cure of AIDS, now and how? Frontiers in Immunology (Jielin Zhang and Clyde Crumpacker) This paper proposes novel strategies to combat HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy)-resistant HIV and reviews current HIV treatment strategies and their limitations. Association Study of Lipoprotein (a) Genetic Markers, Traditional Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease in HIV-1-infected Patients Frontiers in Immunology (Lander Egaña-Gorroño, Esteban Martínez, Tuixent Escribà, Marta Calvo, José M. Gatell and Mireia Arnedo) HIV and HAART drugs can interact with the body in many different ways. This paper examines how coronary heart disease affects HIV-infected patients compared to uninfected individuals. Immune activation and collateral damage in AIDS pathogenesis Frontiers in Immunology (Frank Miedema, Mette D. Hazenberg, Kiki Tesselaar, Debbie van Baarle, Rob J. de Boer and José A. M. Borghans) The body’s immune system response to HIV is the main driving factor behind the development of AIDS. This review lays out how a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of immune activation may help facilitate […]

Health

28 Nov 2013

Professor John de Wit discusses HIV research and self-regulation

Frontiers presents an exclusive interview with Professor John de Wit, director of the Centre for Social Research in Health, Sydney, Australia. He recently joined Frontiers as an associate editor for the HIV and AIDS editorial board. What drove you to focus more on the social aspects of HIV rather than the biomedical? When I was a psychology student, at what is now called Radboud University Nijmegen (the Netherlands), my interest was in understanding and changing the factors that shape people’s experiences and behaviours. I was in particular fascinated by theories of attitudes and attitude change, through communication. When I became aware of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s and had to decide on a topic for my master’s thesis, it seemed logical to look at the efficacy of HIV education in schools. This first research experience made me realise just how difficult it is to change people’s beliefs, attitudes and practices. My research over the 20 years since that early experience has been concerned with what I consider not only the most fascinating riddle of them all, but also a key component of an effective HIV response: the question why we do what we do, even if it can put us in harm’s way, and […]

Health

30 Oct 2013

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2013

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is organized every October, intended to raise awareness of breast cancer and help raise funds for vital research into its prevention, diagnosis and cure. As the month draws to a close, Frontiers presents a selection of articles on cancer research. Breast cancer stem cells Frontiers in Physiology (Thomas W. Owens and Matthew J. Naylor) The recent discovery of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has prompted new research and discussion. This review summarizes what is currently known about the origins of breast CSCs, their role in disease progression and ways in which they may be targeted therapeutically. The impact of cancer therapy on cognition in the elderly Frontiers in Pharmacology (Victoria Mandilaras, Doreen Wan-Chow-Wah, Johanne Monette, Francine Gaba, Michèle Monette and Linda Alfonso) Despite the improving rates of cancer survival little is known about how cancer therapy impairs cognition in elderly patients. This clinical case study outlines two patients who may have suffered cancer treatement-related cognitive decline and reviews the literature on this complex phenomenon. Breast cancer: from “maximum tolerable” to “minimum effective” treatment Frontiers in Oncology (Umberto Veronesi, Vaia Stafyla, Alberto Luini and Paolo Veronesi) Medical science has gone through an important evolution in the past century that was based on […]