Narrow Results

This paper presents our long-term (1992–2000) treatment of pediatric Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients (maximum 100 children, last three years 65) using native herbal remedies in a voluntary medical assistance program in Constanta, Romania. We primarily report the progress of 10 children at a facility called the "House of Tomorrow" and three other facilities. The long-term (8 years and 8 months) treatment contributed to a drop of the amount of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Ribonucleic Acids (HIV-RNA) below the measurable level for 9 out of 10 patients at the "House of Tomorrow." Furthermore, the treatment led to preservation and increase of the cluster of differentiation (CD4) count, a remarkable decrease in mortality rate, as well as the maintenance of a good quality of life. It took one to three years for the beneficial effects of the treatment to emerge. No side-effects were recognized either clinically or biochemically, nor was there any emergence of drug-resistant strains of HIV as seen with anti-HIV chemical treatments.

This paper also refers to which herbal remedies were used and their general mechanism of action.

In this paper we develop and analyse a model for the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst a population of injecting drug users. We examine the impact on the spread of disease caused by allowing addicts to progress through three distinct stages of variable infectivity prior to the onset of full blown AIDS. We first state a three stage infectivity model of the transmission of HIV and perform an equilibrium and stability analysis on this model. We find that there is a critical threshold parameter R₀ which determines its behaviour. If R₀≤1 then there is a unique disease-free equilibrium which is globally stable. If R₀>1 then there is a unique endemic equilibrium which is locally stable. Simulations indicate that if R₀>1, then provided disease is initially present it will tend to the endemic equilibrium. We also extend this model to include recruitment and mortality from AIDS, and find that its long-term behaviour is similar to that of the simple model. We then look briefly at a stochastic version of the model and simulations indicate that again the disease dies out if R₀<1 and if R₀>1 the long-term conditional mean prevalence of disease is approximately the same as in the simple model. We examine the implications of our results for the prevention of the spread of HIV and AIDS amongst drug users. A short discussion concludes the paper.

The devastating figures that recently emerged from a demographic study of the impact of HIV/AIDS in some African countries mark the return to the conditions of the XIXth century, when high birth rates were neutralized by equally high death rates. In the State of São Paulo, Brazil, AIDS is the second cause of death among men aged twenty to forty nine years and the first cause of death of women in the same age class. In this work we propose a mathematical treatment to evaluate the impact of AIDS mortality on the age structure of an affected population, namely, that of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. We propose four indicators for the estimation of the impact of AIDS mortality. The first is the age-dependent differences in ten years survival probabilities attributable to AIDS. The second is the difference in the average age of survivors after 10 years of AIDS. The next is the conventional life expectancy at birth for children born in 1996 and with AIDS prevalence assumed at its maximum value and remaining in steady-state afterwards. Finally, we calculate the differences in the life expectancy of individuals considering the effect of AIDS for only ten years. We found that, in the period between 1987 and 1996 the effects were small but very interesting. However, projecting to the future the conditions of 1996, we calculate that the population of the state of São Paulo would lose 3 years in the average life expectancy at birth.

It has been observed that in many cases one infection can partially protect against another infection or it may lead to a co-infection. For instance, the interaction between infections with different strains, like dengue and malaria or tuberculosis and lepra, induces cross immunity. On the other hand, individuals infected with HIV are much more susceptible to other infections, for instance, tuberculosis. We propose a compartmental model to describe the transmission of AIDS and tuberculosis in a closed community as an example of one infection activating the other one. When studying the dynamics of the interactions we obtain basins of attraction where one infection prevails over the other one and where both infections coalesce. Furthermore, we are taking into account an adaptation of the model in order to assess the transmission coefficients for HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections among women inmates.

Reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) are two pivotal enzymes in HIV-1 replication. RT converts the single-stranded viral RNA genome into double-stranded DNA and IN catalyzes the integration of viral double-stranded DNA into host DNA. Currently, dual inhibitors of HIV-1 RT and IN have become a hotspot in new anti-HIV drug research and development. A dual inhibitor of HIV-1 RT/IN does the same thing as the two independent drugs would do. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model comprising a system of nonlinear differential equations describing HIV-1 RT/IN catalyzed biochemical reactions based on Michaelis–Menten enzyme kinetic reaction. In the formulated model we incorporate HIV-1 RT/IN dual inhibitor which simultaneously works as a non-nucleoside RT inhibitor and IN inhibitor. To examine the efficacy of HIV-1 RT/IN dual inhibitor in the treatment of HIV-1 infection, we have introduced a one-dimensional impulsive differential equation model and determined an effective dosing regimen for applying the inhibitor numerically. Furthermore, the exact closed form solution of the impulsive differential equation model is carried out by using the Lambert W function and the local stability of the periodic solution is also obtained analytically. The results obtained from analytical as well as numerical studies provide a basic idea to investigate the minimum dose with the highest efficacy for administering HIV-1 RT/IN dual inhibitors to prevent HIV-1 infection.

Monogamous behavior may have a genetic component, in which case it can be subject to natural selection. The mechanism of selection may be the reduced fertility that correlates with STDs. AIDS is a fatal STD (FSTD) capable (without intervention) of severely reducing the human population. We show how, for any mating species, multiple FSTDs (statistical “runs”) occurring within the characteristic time for population recovery, drive that species exponentially towards extinction. Runs of FSTDs occur on geological time scales, providing a general, quantitative model for background extinction rates, and a simpler alternative to the Red Queen hypothesis. It has been difficult to get people to change their risk behavior even when they have full knowledge of how HIV is spread. If we come to understand monogamy (and perhaps polygamy) as heritable traits, then new approaches for slowing the HIV epidemic become apparent.

China’s Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Sectors to Rise up to WTO Challenge.

Packaging as an Essential Part of Drug Delivery.

South Asia AIDS Rates on the Surge.

Australia Gives Green Light to Stem Cell Research.

China to Draft Biosafety Law.

Flawed Policies No Way to Fight AIDS.

Japan May Allow Artificially Conceived Children to Identify Biological Parents.

Domestic Stem Cell Creation Approved in Japan.

NZ Bans Xenotransplantation until June 2003.

Singapore Advisory Committee against Paying for Tissue Donation.

Liver Malfunction in Elderly Can Cause Strokes.

Research Shows Indoor Types More Likely to Contract Melanoma.

Study Shows Chinese Genetically Prone to Contract AIDS.

Japan Scientists First to Make New Benzene-Silica Material.

Love of Outdoors Link to Giardiasis.

NZ Men More Likely to Suffer Hearing Loss than Women.

Scientists Welcome Latest Draft Sequences of Rice Genome.

Doctors Search for Parkinson's Disease Genes.

Researchers Develop New Bone Substitute.

Taiwan Hospital Achieves Breakthrough in Infertility Treatment.

New Biotech Center in South Australia.

China Sees Jump in AIDS Cases.

World First Liver Operation Succeeds in Hong Kong.

India Sets Grain Export Target.

Increasing Rate of Eating Disorders in Japanese Teenagers.

Japan Urged to Unite Nanotechnology with Biotechnology.

Spying Controversies Surround Korea's Biotech Hub in the US.

Korea Latest Biotech Efforts.

Korea to Set up Bioterror Hotline.

Technology Showcase for New Zealand and Australia Biotech Sectors.

Singapore Gives US$33 Million Grant for Biomedical Research.

Singapore to Build Second Science Hub.

Students Awarded for Outstanding Scientific Research.

Heart Break Cure Wins Award.

Australia Establishes New Plant Breeding Venture.

Agricultural High-tech Park in East China Up and Running.

University of Hong Kong Unveils New Faculty of Medicine Building.

Japan Records 15 003 Malpractice Cases over Last Two Years.

Japan Picks 12 Regions for Technology Development Initiative.

Japanese Cutbacks Hit Poor Nations' Crop Research.

Combating Korea's AIDS Problem.

KISTI To Buy Biotech Supercomputer.

Malaysia Sets its Sight on Becoming Region's Biotech Leader.

University of Auckland and AgResearch Join Hands for Research.

Rise in Use of GM Crops.

Singapore Needs More Healthcare Professionals.

Polytechnic Launches S$1 Million Chemical Engineering Hub.

New Screening Tool for Childhood Distress.

Conference Bridging IT and Pharmaceutical to be Held in Singapore.

Academia Sinica Signs Research Agreement with GlaxoSmithKline.

Taiwan Invests NT$2 Billion in Biotech and Medical Sectors in First Quarter.

Thai FDA Mulling on AIDS Vaccine.

SolarScan for Earlier Skin Cancer Detection.

Laser Surgery to Boost Twin-twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Human Trial Shows Production of Tumor Specific Immune Cells.

China Cultivates Selenium-rich Fungus with Anti-cancer Promise.

AIDS Vaccine Raises Many Questions.

Consanguineous Marriages Poses Deafness Risk.

Korean Scientists to Use DNA Chips for Cancer Study.

Drug Boosts Healing of Leg Ulcers.

Trials to Remove Nitrogen in Effluent Run Off.

Pre-emptive Cancer Surgery May Save Lives.

Taiwanese Researcher Find Tea May Strengthen Bones.

Australia, NZ and Canada in Joint Indigenous Health Research.

New Glycemic Index for Food Packaging.

US Grant for China to Fight AIDS.

China Allocates Major Funding to Agricultural Technology.

International Symposium on Biosafety of GMOs in Beijing.

Hepatitis Vaccine to be Cheaper in India.

Alarming Rate of Childbirth Death in Indonesia.

Japan to Launch Biotechnology Panel.

Study Shows Half of Japan's Population Insomniac.

Students Tested for Meningitis after Two Deaths.

Pacific Rim Biotechnology Conference in New Zealand.

Chemical Synthesis Plant to Boost Drug Development.

Singapore to Stop Giving Incentives to New Blood Donors.

Taiwan and Canada in Biotech Collaboration.

Overprescription of Antibiotics in Taiwan.

Southern Taiwan Calls for Agricultural Tech Center.

Tea Tree Oil Rises in Popularity.

New Cancer Center Established.

Thais Spending More on Medicines.

Australian Doctors Given Web Access.

Funding for Health and Medical Research Projects.

Scientist to Look into Farm Animals’ Immune Systems.

China’s Biotech Industry Develops Rapidly.

Chinese-made AIDS Drug Available Soon.

China Uses Speedy and Cheap AIDS Test.

Japan Institute to Look into Problem Proteins.

Japan’s Fifth Mad Cow Disease Case.

GMOs Found in Japan’s Organic Soybeans.

Korea and China Set to Cooperate on Bio Sector.

BioMalaysia 2002 to Kick off in Kuala Lumpur.

Combating NZ’s Meningococcal Epidemic.

Taiwan’s Drinking Yogurt Contains Too Much Sugar.

Taiwan Sets up Training Center for Foreign Doctors.

China Denies Producing Patent-violating AIDS Drugs.

Australia Develops World-first Gene Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis.

New Dietary Fibers Have Additional Health Benefits.

Wheat Developed Using New Biophysical Technique.

Sino-US Joint Effort to Battle AIDS in China.

China Reinforces Agri-biotech Research.

China Succeeds in Cloning Cow from Frozen Stem Cells.

Estrogen Link in Liver Damage in Women Drinkers.

Japan to Develop Tear-free GM Onions.

Korea’s Answer to Viagra.

GM Papaya to be Cultivated in SE Asia.

New Blood Test Improves Diagnosis of Heart Failure.

NZ to Join Bovine Genomic Sequencing Initiative.

Cow Bones Successfully Grafted On Sheep.

Singapore Introduces World-first Surgery to Treat Sleep Disorder.

Progen’s Anti-cancer Drug Shows Promising Human Trial Data.

Acrux Reports Progress for Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction.

Clinical Reagent Ready for Agenix’s Blood Clot Imaging Project.

Austcancer’s Vaccine Human Trials Show Strong Results.

Shanghai Desano to Sell Domestically Produced AIDS Drug.

Shanghai Boxing Develops Bio Chip that Identifies GM Plants.

Ranbaxy In-licenses New Biological Entity for Brain Cancer.

Wockhardt and Daiichi in Collaboration for Hemorrhage Drug.

Nicholas Piramal to Merge with Global Drugs.

Shionogi in Agreement with Pharmagene for Target and Compound Validation Capabilities.

Eisai’s Treatment of H. pylori Infection Approved by US.

Tanabe Seiyaku and Altana in Roflumilast Cooperation in Japan.

In2Gen Co. Ltd.

InBioNET Corp.

Agriquality Buys out Melbourne Gene Lab.

Singapore Consulting Practice Brings Biomedical Firms to Asia.

A-Bio Pharma is Singapore’s First Commercial Scale Biologics Manufacturer.

Abbott and MerLion in Drug Discovery Collaboration.

Lilly Systems Biology Research Center Established in Singapore.

Australian Scientists in Real-time Virtual Surgery.

China Invests US$36 Million to Set up Plant Gene Banks.

India, Germany to Jointly Promote Biotech Research.

Firms Urged to Lower Costs of Anti-HIV Drugs.

Japanese Private Sector May Stop Funds to AIDS Body.

Malaysian Institute Collaborates with Drug Firm.

Parkinson’s Disease Research Gets NZ$1.2 Million Funding.

Online Food Composition Database Available.

NZ Recalls Blood Pressure Medicine.

Conference on Biotechnology Awareness in the Philippines.

Singapore Sets up New Cancer Research Body.

Singapore Attracts Attention of Life Sciences Firms.

Thailand Ponders Adopting GM Crops.

New Center for Heart Diseases.

Rice Genome Scientists Named as Research Leader of the Year.

China and US to Cooperate in Agriculture Biotech.

Good Soybean Market in China.

China Launches Diabetes Fight with Foreign Help.

China to Set up Largest TCM Export Base in Tianjin.

HK Updates Physical Measurements of Newborns.

Asia's First Children Continence Care Center Established.

India in Danger of AIDS Epidemic.

Side Effects from Anticancer Drug Kill 124 Japanese.

Korea Approves New Pneumonia Drug.

Korea Becoming Aged Society Due to Falling Birth Rate.

Restriction on AIDS Human Tests Stays.