MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'complement'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:45:27 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277636&cid=t_252536_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.rawvoice.com%2Fpmn_twiv%2Ftraffic.libsyn.com%2Ftwiv%2FTWiV112.mp3 Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit On episode #112 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Rich review the making of a virulent poxvirus by insertion of the gene encoding IL-4, and severe 2009 H1N1 influenza due to pathogenic immune complexes. Download TWiV #112 (71 MB .mp3, 98 minutes). To download, right-click or control-click on the link, then select save as. Subscribe to TWiV (free) in iTunes , at the Zune Marketplace, by the RSS feed, or by email, or listen on your mobile device with Stitcher Radio. Links for this episode: Expression of IL-4 makes a killer poxvirus Additional studies on poxvirus-IL-4 recombinants Creation of killer poxvirus could have been predicted Interleukin regulation of Th responses Severe pandemic H1N1 disease due to immune... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277636 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:45:01 +0100 4277636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3016941&cid=t_252536_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FAAd62pyT5Ec%2F Antibodies produced by infection with a virus, or after immunization with viral vaccines, are effective at preventing viral disease. However humans and higher primates contains “natural antibodies” which are present in serum before viral infection. Natural antibodies can activate the classical complement pathway leading to lysis of enveloped virus particles long before the adaptive immune response is activated. Many natural antibodies are directed against the disaccharide galactose α(1,3)-galactose (α-Gal) (illustration), which is found as a terminal sugar on glycosylated cell surface proteins. Humans, apes, and Old World monkeys lack the gene encoding the enzyme galactosyltransferase, which attaches α-Gal to membrane proteins. Lower primates, most other animals, and bact... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3016941 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:37:01 +0100 3016941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3016943&cid=t_252536_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FLCpPTwJRsoY%2F The classical complement pathway begins when the initiator protein C1q binds directly to the surface of a pathogen, or to an antibody that is bound to a microbe. There is a binding site for C1q on the Fc portion of antibody molecules. C1q can also recognize molecular patterns characteristic of pathogens, much like the Toll-like receptors. C1q binding to antibody or a pathogen surface initiates an unusual protease cascade with one or more members of a set of seven activating enzymes. This set of cleavages, which occurs on the surface of the microbe, leads to the formation of the membrane attack complex that produces holes in membranes of cells and viruses. Other products of the cascade include mediators of inflammation, which recruit white blood cells to the site of infection. Still mor... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3016943 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:37:04 +0100 3016943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3016945&cid=t_252536_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FDY9BKhA9ABU%2F is a collection of blood and cell surface proteins that is a major primary defense and a clearance component of innate and adaptive immune responses. At least 30 different complement proteins act sequentially to produce a wide ranges of activities, from cell lysis to augmentation of the adaptive response. The complement system has four major antimicrobial functions. Lysis – Polymerization of specific activated complement components on a foreign cell or enveloped virus leads to the formation of pores. The lipid bilayer of the cell or virus is disrupted. Activation of inflammation – Several peptides produced by proteolytic cleavage of complement proteins bind to vascular endothelial cells and lymphocytes. These cells then produce cytokines which stimulate inflammation and enhan... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3016945 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:18:04 +0100 3016945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2781605&cid=t_252536_77_f&fid=37259&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horizonpress.com%2Fblogger%2F2009%2F09%2Fneisseria-and-complement.html Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis have evolved intricate mechanisms to evade killing by the complement system. Binding of complement inhibitors, LOS sialylation and expression of capsular polysaccharide in the case of N. meningitidis all play key roles in enabling these bacteria to evade complement. The multiplicity of complement evasion strategies reflects the importance of overcoming this immune barrier. Neisserial resistance to complement mediated killing appears to be restricted to humans and may provide an explanation for the host specificity of neisserial disease. Recent advances in our understanding of neisserial complement evasion strategies should aid in developing better animal models and vaccine design   read more ...from Lisa A. Lewis, E. Burrowes, Peter A R... Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2781605 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:07:00 +0100 2781605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227542&cid=t_252536_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fnew-family-history-tool-to-debut.html It's as if everyone in the technology land had been hearing my cries!"Family history is the cheapest and the best whole genome scan we have!!"The Government fixed theirs others are working on it as well.......With the potential in ancestry companies to turn their tools into family history gathering machines we are now seeing a big shift in focus from merely ancestry to ancestry AND medical history. One great tool that is coming comes from a website called ItRunsInMyFamily.com And like every self respecting entrepreneur looking to boost SEO, they have started a blog. But what's even better, they beat me to the punch when comparing genetic testing versus family history...They pit them head to head.....From the blog:Breadth of DiseasesOver 6,000 known single-gene disorders. (This does not inc... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227542 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:02:00 +0100 2227542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=687108&cid=t_252536_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fforbes-and-genetics-part-two.html Given the recent emails I have received I will now present the other author to the 12 Gene Tests That Could Change Your Life Matthew Herper. It turns out I am not the only person trying to find out who Matt Herper is. But I am slightly daunted given the fact that WikiAnswers hasn't been able to answer this question.Why investigate the authors? Because they are telling you that these tests could CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Frankly, I wonder who advised either of these guys. True, they are medical writers for several years. But there is always someone who advises a writer......So once again I dial up spy-engine Google.....According to the NewsBios 30 Under 30 AwardsMr. Herper focuses on science and medicine both for the print and online editions of Forbes and is tasked with devoting about half of his ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=687108 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 22:32:00 +0100 687108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=611620&cid=t_252536_85_f&fid=34692&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpolitedissent.com%2Farchives%2F1646 It’s the most shocking House yet! Not really — I just thought I’d mimic the ads that play every week (at least on the St Louis affiliate). How can every week be the most shocking? In reality it was just another so-so episode. The mystery was good, but House’s final deductive leap was a little too unbelievable. The medicine was just OK, but the soap opera parts were much better than the past few weeks. Addie, a nineteen year old college sophomore is sparring in a karate match when she suddenly begins spitting up blood. In the ER, a bronchoscopy was performed (looking down her lungs with a fiber optic scope). An Upper and Lower GI were also performed, as well as multiple blood tests. All were normal. Chase suggests that Addie might have a hyperdynamic heart — o... Polite Dissent blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=611620 Thu, 17 May 2007 23:51:53 +0100 611620