Vaccine Breakthrough: AIDS

[DocHeb]

There are four known retroviruses that are known to infect humans:

HTLV1 - T-cell leukemias/lymphomas, Tropical spastic paraparesis
HTLV2 - No known pathology
HIV 1 & 2 - AIDS

Otherwise, its too complicated to try and type all this stuff. There is a summary at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/hivaids/8.htm>NIH - HIV AND OTHER LENTIVIRUSES</A>. From that site: "Within the retrovirus family, HIV is classified as a lentivirus, having genetic and morphologic similarities to animal lentiviruses such as those infecting cats (feline immunodeficiency virus), sheep (visna virus), goats (caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus), and non-human primates (simian immunodeficiency virus)". Dr. Dan is right, breakthroughs for FIV vaccines will help with human HIV vaccine development.

There is great concern about further HIV-like viruses that will make the jump from monkeys to humans. As the rainforests are opened there is rapidly increasing exposure to monkey viruses from "bushmeat", or monkeys killed for food.

There is also great information on <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.virology.net/garryfavweb14.html>All the Virology on the WWW</A>.

If the viruses don't get you worried, look for stuff on <A target="_blank" HREF=http://science-education.nih.gov/nihHTML/ose/snapshots/multimedia/ritn/prions/prions1.html>prions</A>. They'll scare your socks off! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Don't know much about nanotechnology - I'm currently into Compactechnology (Tractors, that is!).

 

[TresCrows]

Thanks for the info -- will check it out.
Yep those prions are scary. I have been reading about nanotechnology and self replicating machines that could essentially convert the planet into a "gray goo" for raw materials! It is a bit more complicated than that but so the idea goes that if these things get out of a lab they could ruin everyones day, literally consume you alive and your computer and your Kubota converting you and such into raw materials for replication.
I would have to be awful hungry to eat a monkey, much less a raw monkey. No accounting for some peoples taste I suppose. J

 

[dmccarty]

DocHeb,

Whoooooo, I like the roof cuppola with the windows......

We have been thinking about putting them into our house
design...... I like... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Grade 70 transport chain is very tough to cut even in the
store. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Especially the big stuff. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif But the
chain is my last line of defense and is really only to prevent
joyrides from teenages. But first line of defense is that very
few people know the tractor is on the property. The second
line of defense is that they have to find it on 50+ acres.
Then there is the chain as the last link.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Finally there is insurance. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Nice house.

Later,
Dan