End of the Week Links

by Kelly

–> In an exciting turn of events, a doctor may have stumbled upon the key to a cure for HIV/AIDs! It’s early days, but apparently he was able to find a cell mutation that resists HIV.

“The breakthrough appears to be that Dr. Hütter, a soft-spoken hematologist who isn’t an AIDS specialist, deliberately replaced the patient’s bone marrow cells with those from a donor who has a naturally occurring genetic mutation that renders his cells immune to almost all strains of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The development suggests a potential new therapeutic avenue and comes as the search for a cure has adopted new urgency. Many fear that current AIDS drugs aren’t sustainable. Known as antiretrovirals, the medications prevent the virus from replicating but must be taken every day for life and are expensive for poor countries where the disease runs rampant. Last year, AIDS killed two million people; 2.7 million more contracted the virus, so treatment costs will keep ballooning.”

Here’s a handy diagram to explain better (I’m definitely no science genius). Read the full article here. I am crossing my fingers this is a viable cure!

hiv

–> Here’s an interesting article about children in the White House and what challenges Obama’s daughters face as their dad becomes President of the United States.

–> Here is a really funny picture referencing the election. Okay, okay I know it’s over but I can’t help but post this:

trains

Hope you’re all having a great weekend!

- Dollface

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