First HIV vaccine trial success confirmed

The first HIV vaccine to be called a success has stood up to scrutiny after further analysis of the data was presented today in Paris, France.

However, the new analysis also confirms that the optimistic claims, first made in September and viewed sceptically at the time, are indeed very modest.

Last month's announcement of success (PDF) was made by researchers from the US Military HIV Research Program (MHRP). They reported that their vaccine reduced the risk of infection by about 31 per cent in a trial in Thailand.

But it was not clear that the vaccine offered any protection because the result was based on very few cases: 51 of 8197 vaccinated individuals became infected with HIV compared with 74 of 8198 unvaccinated people, a difference of just 23.

Week 2 Extra Credit...

Exploring the Genetic Differences Between Chimps and Humans

For both Biology II and Human Anatomy classes, click on the link above and read the article, then answer the following questions in either the comments section or by emailing me at jgiacobbe_southpointe@cox.net

Don't forget to include your full name in the postings or email!

1. What is the main topic of the article?

2. Researchers already know that humans and chimpanzees share about how much (percent-wise) of the same genes?

3. The scientist's team looked at a relatively unstudied phenomenon known as copy number variation, or CNV. What does this phenomenon mean?

4. What does it mean to you personally that you are so closely related to Chimpanzees ?

Welcome to Block II!

For new and returning Biology and Human Anatomy students, welcome back for Block II. As we discussed in class, please visit here at least once a week for a selection of interesting articles and video to check out, and of course Extra Credit for your extra efforts.

Each week (and usually more frequently) I will post at least one article or video for you to check out, and all you have to do to earn from 25 to 50 points is to read the article or watch the video, then comment on it with one to two sentences explaining what the story was about (and include your name, so I know who the points go to). You can also email me your comments at jgiacobbe_southpointe@cox.net

For the first week of class, it's easy as pie! Just comment on this post (see the comment link below), or email me, and you get an extra 25 points. Check back next week for more new stuff....JG

The Human Genome in 3 Dimensions

 

10 Best Things We'll Say to Our Grandkids

By Streeter Seidell 09.21.09

1. Back in my day, we only needed 140 characters.
2. There used to be so much snow up here, you could strap a board to your feet and slide all the way down.
3. Televised contests gave cash prizes to whoever could store the most data in their head.
4. Well, the screens were bigger, but they only showed the movies at certain times of day.
5. We all had one, but nobody actually used it. Come to think of it, I bet my LinkedIn profile is still out there on the Web somewhere.
6. *
7. Our bodies were made of meat and supported by little sticks of calcium.
8. You used to keep files right on your computer, and you had to go back to that same computer to access them!
9. Is that the new iPhone 27G? Got multitasking yet?
10. I just can't get used to this darn vat-grown steak. Texture ain't right.
* Translation: "English used to be the dominant language. Crazy, huh?"