MDNews - Greater Boston

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++ ++++++++++++ ++++++++++++ ++++++++++++ ++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THAT'SNEWS UUU ÍÍÍ THAT'SNEWS Bacterial Cytological Profiling Helps Create More Effective Antibiotics B IOLOGISTS AT THE University of California, San Diego, have developed a new method for discovering antibiotics that could lead to new treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The method, called bacterial cytological profiling (BCP), identifies the cellular pathway affected by antibacterial molecules much more quickly than traditional methods. By examining the shape of dead bacteria, scientists are able to determine their cause of death and create more effective antibiotics that target bacteria where they are weakest. What would typically take two to six months with traditional methods — such as radiolabeling assays or transcriptional profiling — can now be accomplished in two hours. As bacteria continue to evolve and develop resistance to certain antibiotics, an urgent need for new medicines capable of treating the infections they cause has arisen. This new method could lead to the accelerated development of antibiotics that work against multidrug-resistant pathogens. I —Kimmely Sanders Topical Drug Eliminates HIV New Nanoparticle Helps to Strengthen Vaccines E have developed a new type of nanoparticle that can be delivered directly to mucosal surfaces to defend against infectious diseases. Many vaccines are delivered to the lungs through an aerosol spray, but the lungs often break up the vaccine before it can provoke an immune response. By combining the protein fragments that make up the vaccine with toll-like receptor agonists, the nanoparticle vaccine ensures that the particles resist disintegration once in the lungs, allowing the vaccine to generate a strong immune response. Such vaccines could help protect against influenza and other respiratory viruses, or prevent sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, herpes simplex virus and human papillomavirus. They could also be applied to delivering better cancer treatments. Researchers found that immune cells took up cancer antigens encapsulated in nanoparticles much more successfully than traditional vaccines delivered under the skin. The nanoparticle technology has been patented and is now being used to develop infectious disease and cancer vaccines. I NGINEERS AT MIT A CCORDING TO A study by researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, a topical anti-fungal drug has been found to cause HIV cells to "commit suicide" by inhibiting the cells' mitochondria. The drug, Ciclopirox, works against HIV in two ways: It inhibits the expression of HIV genes while also blocking the essential functions of the mitochondria, which activates the cells' suicide pathways. Anti-retroviral drugs have been highly successful at treating HIV but do not completely eliminate the infection and must be taken by patients for life. The study has revealed that when using Ciclopirox, healthy cells remain unaffected, and remarkably, the virus did not return after the drug course was discontinued. Ciclopirox has already been approved for human use by the FDA and has shown promise for the potential eradication of HIV. I —Kimmely Sanders A DV E R T I S E R S ' I N D E X Doctors' Management Service, Inc. ..................................................... 11 Southcoast Center for Weight Loss..................................Back Cover Winchester Hospital.................................................Inside Front Cover —Kimmely Sanders MDNEWS.COM I MD NEWS Greater Boston | 15

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