AIDS virus weakness detected (Reuters)

[Up2Late]

(This sounds like GREAT News to me! And to all those here who have already lost loved ones to AIDS, I feel your pain. I lost my Best Friend to AIDS July 15, 2006.
R.I.P. Randy.)

AIDS virus weakness detected

Wed Feb 14, 2007 4:19PM EST

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have captured an image of the AIDS virus in a biological handshake with the immune cells it attacks, and said on Wednesday they hope this can help lead to a better vaccine against the incurable disease.

They pinpointed a place on the outside of the human immunodeficiency virus that could be vulnerable to antibodies that could block it from infecting human cells.

U.S. National Institutes of Health researcher Peter Kwong said the study, published in the journal Nature, may reveal HIV's long-sought "site of vulnerability" that can be targeted with a vaccine aimed at preventing initial infection.

"Having that site and knowing that you can make antibodies against it means that a vaccine is possible," Kwong said in a telephone interview. "It doesn't say we've gotten there. But it's taken it off the list from an impossible dream and converted it to something that is a (mere) technical barrier."

(more at link) <http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1438308620070214?src=021407_1609_ARTICLE_PROMO_also_on_reuters>

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Actual medical research!

And it's not related to a new sleep aid or woody maker.

[Tace]

5. And Yet, A Lot Of People Will Be Sleeping Better...

...and getting more, better woodies, if we find a cure for AIDS. : )

[Graybeard]

2. Oh, please God, make this be true. n/t

[halobeam]

3. lighting a candle for this one

and wishing a seriously quick "technal barrier" breakthrough!

[sutz12]

4. Definite K & R..

A glimmer of hope.

:kick:

[CountAllVotes]

6. A kick for HOPE!

KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!!

:dem: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[Parche]

7. WOW

That is fantastic news!!!!

I feel your pain
I lost 2 extremely close friends back in the late 80's

To Wayne King -1991 One of my best friends

To Ron Villasenor-1990 My American Airlines Rep and close friend


You are never forgotten and missed every day


Lets hope they do this quick so we can end the World suffering!!!

[sakabatou]

8. This is excellent

[roguevalley]

9. from their mouth to God's ear

[Up2Late]

10. More from BBC News: Scientists expose HIV weak spot

Thursday, 15 February 2007, 00:00 GMT

Scientists expose HIV weak spot

Scientists have shown what happens when an infection-fighting antibody attacks a gap in HIV's formidable defences.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-led team say the work could aid HIV vaccine development. They have published an atomic-level image in Nature showing the antibody, b12, attacking part of a protein on surface of the virus.

HIV avoids attack by constantly mutating, but this protein segment is a weak spot because it remains stable.

Dr Elias Zerhouni, director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), said: "Creating an HIV vaccine is one of the great scientific challenges of our time. "NIH researchers and their colleagues have revealed a gap in HIV's armour and have thereby opened a new avenue to meeting that challenge."

(more at link) <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6357287.stm>

(I'm going to see if I can find this in the Journal "Nature," where it says above this was published.)

[AnOhioan]

11. K&R for my late cousin, died a few years back from AIDS

[puerco-bellies]

12. K & R for Silvi Died March 12, 2004 of AIDS.

I really loved her.. She had contacted the disease in the early 80's before Ryan White and lived with it for twenty years. Being a close friend and companion, (and in my own head a love of hers), taught me a lot about how to live, and about what is important in life.

[VegasWolf]

13. For the scientifically challenged, it's a "MIRACLE" in the making. nt

[Up2Late]

14. I think this might be the "Nature" article mentioned in the BBC article...

...but I'm not absolutely sure. Here's the link while it's still free: <http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070212/full/070212-7.html>

[BreweryYardRat]

15. All right!

Kick this back up to the top!

[mzmolly]

16. Very good news!

:toast:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

17. This is a great thing

Hope-finally!

[Up2Late]

18. kick n/t

:kick: