Google

Sunday, November 23, 2008




5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat and Get Six Pack Abs


1. Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat... yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits.

2. Ab exercises like crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are the LEAST effective method of getting flat six pack abs. We'll explore what types of exercises REALLY work in a minute.

3. Boring repetitive cardio exercise routines are NOT the best way to lose body fat and uncover those six pack abs. I'll show you the exact types of unique workouts that produce 10x better results below.

4. You DON'T need to waste your money on expensive "extreme fat burner" pills (that don't work) or other bogus supplements. A special class of natural foods is much more effective. I'll tell you about these natural foods and their powers below.

5. Ab belts, ab-rockers, ab-loungers, and other infomercial ab-gimmicks... they're all a complete waste of your time and money. Despite the misleading infomercials, the perfectly chiseled fitness models in the commercials did NOT get their perfect body by using that "ab contraption"... they got their perfect body through REAL workouts and REAL nutrition strategies. Again, you'll learn some of their secrets and what really works below.


Learn How a 27-Year Old Texas Beautyand a 59-Year Old Grandma Used the Same Secrets to Shed Years of Extra Stubborn Belly Fat and Finally Get a Sexy Flat Stomach...
...and by using these little-known dietary tricks and workout techniques, they are both no longer self conscious about their body, and are finally comfortable showing off their new sexy waistlines in that sexy little dress, or the tight jeans & cute T-shirt that they had been dying to wear!
by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
Let me guess...
You've already tried every "miracle diet" that's come along and nothing has worked to help you shed that excess tummy fat, right?
You've probably also done all of the hundreds of crunches, situps, leg lifts, and other useless abs exercises, and that stomach of yours doesn't seem any flatter, does it?
You might also think that anything labeled at the grocery store as "low fat", "sugar free", "low-carb", or "whole grain" are good for you, right? Think again! You've been deceived by the clever marketing of huge multi-million dollar food corporations...
FACT - Did you know that most foods labeled as "sugar free" or "low-carb" actually contain artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and other additives that create a hormonal mess inside your body, actually stimulating your body to STORE more belly fat and stimulate cravings! And foods labeled "whole grain" only have to contain a small fraction of whole grains where the majority can still be refined starches and sugars that spike your blood sugar faster than a sugar-laden soda!
What About Ab Machines?
You may also have tried a couple of those crappy "abdominizer machines" or "ab rocker-roller-lounger" gadgets you saw on the late night infomercial, yet you still see no signs of toned sexy abs developing, right? And don't even get me started on those worthless "ab-belts"!
You've probably also done the hours and hours of boring cardio in the past, and that didn't seem to strip off the unsightly belly fat either, right?
And you were just flat out scammed at the supplement store when you bought those "advanced fat burner" pills that you saw in the clever magazine ad...
FACT - Did you know that supplements like the bogus fat burner pills aren't even regulated in the US to assure that there's even any active ingredients at all in the pills?
Yep, according to US law (ever since the DSHEA Act of 1994), there's no oversight or regulation of supplement companies to assure that their claims are accurate or that they are even honest about what's in the bottle. With several thousand supplement companies, that leaves room for a lot of scam artists and a LOT of worthless products that don't cause any fat loss in your body at all.
Well, that was a waste of money!
So... If Hours of Cardio, Hundreds of Crunches, $100's of Dollars of Wasted Fat-Burner Pills, and the Gimmick Ab-Belts & Abdominizer Machines Don't Work... What Does Work to Get That Tight Sexy Stomach?
I'm going to introduce to you what does work by telling you a real quick story about two women that I personally witnessed make spectacular changes in their bodies by trying something drastically different than what they had done in the past.You see, as a Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, I've trained hundreds of women over the last 10 years in person... and that doesn't even count the thousands of women that have used my programs online over the last few years since I've become an internationally recognized fitness expert.
This isn't about me though, this is about you getting the fat loss and tummy sculpting results you've always wanted, and what you can learn from 2 very different women... Stephanie and Margo.
Stephanie and Margo are 27 and 59 years old respectively. I use them as examples because of their age differences, yet both of them achieving very similar results... and inspiring results at that! When they first came to me, they were spewing a lot of the same old negative beliefs about their body that I see so many women have... they would say things such as:
"Oh, I'll never lose weight... my metabolism is shot and just way too slow!"or"I'll just have to accept my flabby body the way it is because with my genetics, I'll never get a flat stomach."or"I've tried everything and nothing works... I'm doomed to have this pooch-belly and love handle rolls for life!"or"I just don't have time to get in shape... it's just impossible for me with my busy schedule... I should just give up."
The fact is... they both proved ALL of these beliefs DEAD WRONG! And so have thousands of other women that changed their mindset, their workout techniques, and their nutrition habits drastically from their old habits that weren't working.
Stop Making It Harder on Your Bodyand Start Working WITH Your Body
Think about this... if what you've been doing all these years hasn't been getting you the results you want, doing more of that same thing won't get you any further! If doing 4 hours of cardio a week hasn't worked for you, why do you believe that doing 7 hours of cardio will?
If doing 100 crunches a day hasn't gotten you the results you want, why do you think that doing 200 crunches a day will? Of course you remember that doing the same things over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity!
The truth is that all of these techniques are WRONG and ineffective ways to workout. In fact, doing excessive cardio is actually working against your results because you are stimulating excessive cortisol production in your body and breaking down lean muscle tissue... all of which leads to the slowing down of your metabolic rate over time and deposition of even more belly fat on top of what you already have.
Also, wasting most of your workout time with ineffective abs exercises such as crunches, situps, and torso twists actually goes directly against your fat loss efforts as well. You see, the time you waste with doing all of these fairly ineffective abs exercises, is really just keeping you from doing the truly effective full body exercise combinations that actually stimulate your fat burning hormones and increase your metabolic rate for as much as 24-48 hours after each workout. You don't get that with "ab workouts" or "cardio"!
When you get these types of full body metabolic-surge workouts right, the excess belly fat starts to melt off quicker than you ever could have imagined. Yes, it IS going to take a little work though. You're not going to be able to just be lazy and sit on the couch every day hoping for your dream body to come true. Don't worry though, it's a system that can be applied by anyone, regardless of your age or current conditioning.
95% of Women Make These Same Mistakes Over and Over
Over the last 10 years of training and consulting hundreds of women on nutrition, quite a few patterns started to emerge and I noticed most women were falling into many of the same traps. Some of them I mentioned above with the excess cardio, the time wasted doing crunches & situps, the bogus fat-burner pills, the worthless ab gadgets, the grocery store mistakes, and the failed diets time and time again.
Stephanie and Margo had also fallen into the same traps and struggled with their fitness for years due to these mistakes. But something changed immediately when they starting using the workout and dietary techniques that I revealed to them.
They finally started getting results and losing layer upon layer of ugly body fat after years of struggling to lose even a couple of pounds!
Change Your Methods Drasticallyand Your Body Will Change Drastically... Get Out That Bikini!
After finally changing her ways and adopting a new way of thinking about food, working out, and what she can achieve, Stephanie has lost over 70 lbs and literally made herself an entirely new person. She feels more energetic, looks about 10 years younger now, and is finally confident to wear whatever she wants out of the house now, after years of being self conscious. I'll show you Stephanie's pictures in a minute. Wait til you see them... very inspirational.
Margo also lost 23 lbs so far and is feeling the best she has in over 2 decades after implementing these techniques that she learned in my system. She's actually enjoying food more now than ever before, yet still losing weight and firming up her entire body.
So What are Stephanie & Margo Doing DifferentlyThat Has Kick-Started Them Into a Whole New Lifestyle of Feeling Good & Looking Sexy?
Well, what they are doing is a uniquely designed full body program I put together called The Truth about Six Pack Abs.
After years of seeing so many frustrated people struggling with excess body fat and flabby abs and literally wasting their hard-earned money on worthless fat-loss products and six-pack abs gimmicks... I decided it was time to put together my own unique system to solve this problem.
Time and time again I even saw my friends and family just being flat-out scammed by the unscrupulous marketers in the fitness industry selling you all of this garbage that isn't going to do anything at all to change your body for the better... It's only going to make their wallets fatter!
What I did was put together an innovative scientifically-based fitness program that has finally revealed the truth about abdominals, stomach fat & love handles, and is helping tens of thousands of people around the world to finally conquer their struggle.
The Solution to Flabby Abs Was Born!
As I was developing this program, I dedicated myself non-stop to researching as much legitimate information as I could get my hands on for losing body fat (particularly that stubborn fat that covers the abs). I also researched all of the best information on developing the abdominals as best as possible as well as studying the techniques of working the deeper transversus abdominis & multifidus to help "pull-in" your stomach and help to make it flatter over time.
I started immersing myself in some of the best legitimate exercise research journals out there, reading countless books from some of the best strength coaches and trainers in the world, and soaking up the info from some of the best nutritional books and journals from the top authorities in the world on the subject.
I also dedicated myself to being a top-notch fitness professional as I became a Certified Personal Trainer, a Certified Nutrition Specialist, and eventually years later, an international author and authority on the subject of "six-pack abs" and fat loss.
I also used my daily training of fitness clients, as well as my own training methods, to determine "in the trenches", what worked and what didn't for getting rid of that stubborn abdominal fat. The end result is a winning solution for ridding yourself of that extra belly fat and developing flat sexy 6-pack abs the right way! And it's all found in my internationally popular program, The Truth about Six Pack Abs.

Pregnant Women With Bulimia Have More Anxiety And Depression,




















Women who have bulimia in pregnancy have more symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to pregnant women without eating disorders. A new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) shows that they also have lower self-esteem and are more dissatisfied with life and their relationship with their partner.The findings come from the world's first major population study of psychosocial factors in bulimia (bulimia nervosa) during pregnancy. Bulimia in pregnancy can have serious consequences for both mother and child.
The new study includes more than 41 000 pregnant women who responded to a questionnaire from the Norwegian Mother and Child Study (MoBa) from the NIPH. Higher incidence of physical and sexual abuse
Out of more than 41 000 pregnant women, 96 (0.2 %) met the criteria for broadly defined bulimia (bulimia nervosa) in the first trimester of pregnancy. 67 of the women reported that they had also had bulimia six months before pregnancy, while 26 had developed bulimia after becoming pregnant. It is unknown whether these women had bulimia earlier in life.
Women with bulimia reported lower self-esteem and less satisfaction with life and their relationship with their partner. In addition, they reported a higher prevalence of symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.
- Women with bulimia reported a higher prevalence of life-long physical abuse, sexual abuse and major depression compared with others, says Cecilie Knoph Berg at the Division of Mental Health at the NIPH. - Women who had bulimia six months before pregnancy but who were symptom-free in the first trimester, experienced higher self-esteem and satisfaction with life compared to other women with persistent symptoms.
Bulimia was measured six months before pregnancy and in the first trimester of pregnancy by completing the questionnaire in the first trimester.
Knoph Berg is the first author of “Psychosocial factors associated with broadly-defined bulimia nervosa during early pregnancy: Findings from the Norwegian mother and child cohort study” which is published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
Mostly women with bulimia
Eating disorders affect both young and old but often occur for the first time in adolescence. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are about ten times more common among women than men. At any one time, Norwegian women in the age group 15-44 years have an eating disorder: 0.3 percent have anorexia, two percent have bulimia and three percent have binge eating disorder. The figures are based on Norwegian studies, with international studies showing similar results.
Background
Bulimia (bulimia nervosa) is episodes of binge eating combined with various behaviours to compensate for the large intake of food and to avoid weight gain. These behaviours include vomiting, use of laxatives, periods of fasting or training. Vomiting leads to disturbances in the body’s salt balance and enamel erosion of teeth. People with bulimia are often of normal weight or overweight. Approximately 30 percent of persons with bulimia have a history of anorexia.

What To Eat For Glowing Healthy Skin.


— The old adage “you are what you eat” not only applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs. In fact, new research suggests that eating foods rich in protein and certain vitamins and minerals might provide valuable anti-aging effects.



Speaking November 8 at the American Academy of Dermatology’s SKIN academy (Academy), dermatologist Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in New York, N.Y., and clinical assistant professor of dermatology and associate faculty of the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa., discussed the importance of eating nutritious foods for optimal skin health and how foods can aggravate common medical skin conditions.

“While there’s no mistaking how our diet affects our overall health, we’re just beginning to understand how certain foods – or lack thereof – can impact our skin’s health,” said Dr. Taylor. “In addition, studies show that some food and beverages can even worsen common skin conditions and cause allergic reactions that manifest on the skin.”

Good Food, Good Skin

Perhaps the simplest way to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and ensure the skin is getting optimal nutrition from the foods we eat is to follow the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Daily Food Guide, commonly referred to as the food pyramid.


These include:

Choosing and eating at least three ounces of whole grain breads, cereals, rice, crackers or pasta.
Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including more dark green and orange vegetables.
Consuming calcium-rich foods, such as fat-free or low-fat milk and other dairy products.
Opting for a variety of low-fat or lean meats, poultry and fish.
“The foods recommended by the USDA as part of a healthy diet contain valuable vitamins and minerals that have proven health benefits for our bodies,” said Dr. Taylor. “Research has shown that the antioxidants in vitamins C and E can protect the skin from sun damage and help reduce damage in skin cells caused by harmful free radicals, which contribute to aging skin. Similarly, we have long known that the B vitamin biotin is responsible for forming the basis of skin, hair and nail cells, and vitamin A – found in many fruits and vegetables – maintains and repairs skin tissue. Without an adequate supply of these vitamins, you may notice it in the appearance of your skin, hair and nails.”

While the direct link between food consumption and skin damage has not been widely studied, one study comparing the correlation between food and nutrient intake with skin wrinkling found a positive relationship. The study, “Skin Wrinkling: Can Food Make a Difference?”, published in the February 2001 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, determined that Swedish subjects aged 70 and older had the least skin wrinkling in a sun-exposed site among the four ethnic groups studied. This cross-sectional study, which analyzed the pooled data using the major food groups, suggests “that subjects with a higher intake of vegetables, olive oil, and monounsaturated fat and legumes, but a lower intake of milk/dairy products, butter, margarine and sugar products had less skin wrinkling in a sun-exposed site.”

“More studies need to be done to determine the long-term benefits of food on our skin,” said Dr. Taylor. “Eating a variety of healthy foods and drinking plenty of water so the skin stays hydrated should help most people improve the appearance of their skin.”

Foods That Can Worsen Skin Conditions

For the millions of Americans affected by medical skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, eating certain foods or consuming alcohol could aggravate their symptoms or trigger an unexpected flare-up. Dr. Taylor recommended that patients affected by these chronic skin conditions should be aware of certain food interactions in order to better manage their treatment regimen.

Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by the foods we eat. Although numerous studies have not found a link between diet and acne, emerging research now suggests there may be a link between a low-glycemic diet and an improvement in acne. The study, “Low-Glycemic-Load Diet May Improve Acne in Young Men,” published in the July 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined whether male acne patients aged 15 to 25 who followed a low-glycemic diet (25 percent of energy from protein and 45 percent from low-glycemic-index carbohydrates) had a reduction in acne lesions vs. a control group that consumed a diet rich in carbohydrates.

“The study found that at 12 weeks, acne lesions had decreased more in the young men in the low-glycemic group than their counterparts in the control group whose diet had no consideration for the glycemic index,” said Dr. Taylor. “This suggests that there could be a relationship between limiting carbohydrate-rich foods in acne patients’ diets and an improvement in their acne, but more studies need to be done to confirm this finding before we consider any future dietary modifications for our patients.”

On the other hand, some acne patients have noticed that certain foods worsen their symptoms – particularly chocolate, greasy foods, soft drinks, peanuts or foods high in fat.

“Patients who notice a cause-effect relationship between eating certain foods and acne flare-ups should avoid those foods,” said Dr. Taylor. “However, following a strict diet will not clear acne either. The best advice is to eat a well-balanced diet and follow the treatment plan recommended by your dermatologist.”

Rosacea, characterized by facial redness and swelling, commonly can be triggered by spicy foods or alcohol. In fact, a survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society found that the most common rosacea triggers are alcohol (52 percent), spicy foods (45 percent) and heated beverages (36 percent).

“Patients with rosacea should keep a journal to track their food and beverage triggers, so they can record how the experience made them feel and remind themselves to avoid these items in the future,” advised Dr. Taylor. “They also should read the labels at the grocery store and proceed with caution when it comes to spices, such as cayenne, red, black and white pepper, curry, chili powder, and even salsa.”

In addition, foods such as liver, vinegar, soy sauce, dairy products, certain fruits and vegetables, hot chocolate, cider, tea and coffee have been known to cause flare-ups in some rosacea patients.

Another chronic skin condition that can be aggravated by food is eczema, which is commonly characterized by dry, red and itchy patches on the skin. Foods that have been known to worsen eczema symptoms include eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, wheat and fish, while some patients even report that chocolate, coffee, alcohol, tomatoes and sugar can trigger a flare-up. Dr. Taylor added that juices from meats and fruits can irritate already-sensitive skin when they come in contact with the skin, and she suggested that eczema patients also should keep a trigger journal as a reference for what foods or drinks may have caused a flare-up.

Research has shown that psoriasis, a serious medical condition affecting the immune system and characterized by patches of raised, reddish skin covered by silvery-white scales, can be triggered by heavy drinking and that alcohol consumption may even inhibit the effectiveness of psoriasis treatment.

Dr. Taylor cautioned psoriasis patients who drink to do so in moderation and to avoid alcohol if they suspect it is worsening their symptoms.

“While certain foods also can trigger psoriasis, patients should avoid any radical diets that claim to ‘cure’ psoriasis,” explained Dr. Taylor. “There is not a cure for psoriasis and extreme changes in diet actually can worsen symptoms.”

Dr. Taylor added that individuals who have any questions about how their diet can affect the health and appearance of their skin should discuss their concerns with a dermatologist.

Good Mood Lets You Look Beyond Daily Grind

When you're in a bad mood and have your nose to the grindstone, all you see is the task at hand. But a good mood lets you see how the task fits into the bigger picture.
This isn't a motivational motto, it's the finding from five psychology experiments by marketing researchers Aparna A. Labroo, PhD, MBA, of the University of Chicago, and Vanessa M. Patrick, PhD, MBA, of the University of Georgia.
Research shows that a good mood broadens your attention and lets you see future opportunities. A bad mood, however, tends to make you focus on where you are right now. But how does your mood affect the kinds of choices you make?
Let's say you're at the fridge and see that picture of your smiling children. It makes you happy, thus giving you a broader perspective. Will your ability to look toward the future mean you'll put off dieting until later and indulge in unhealthy food later? Or will your foresight prompt you to ensure your future health by eating healthy food now?
Good Mood, Bad Mood Experiments
Labroo and Patrick first looked at whether feel-good cues prompted people to take things more broadly, and whether feel-bad cues prompt a more literal focus.
In their first study, they asked 58 college students to describe a list of 10 activities. Next to each activity (painting a room, for example) was a little smiley face, a little frowny face, or a little neutral face.
Sure enough, students used more abstract terms to describe the task if it was marked with a smiley face, and use more concrete terms for the frowny-face tasks.
Going beyond smiley faces, the researchers actually put 129 students into a good or bad mood by having them focus on either the best or worst day of their lives. Those in a good mood saw tasks in the abstract (painting beautifies the environment, for example). Those in a bad mood saw tasks more concretely (painting lets me choose my favorite paint color, for example).
In a third experiment, 40 students reported how good they felt. Half were given an abstract task -- they were asked to focus on why they study for exams. The other half got a concrete task -- they focused on how they study for exams. Then they were asked how important academic goals were to them.
Students in a good mood were more likely to find academic goals important when they focused on the abstract why question. Students in a bad mood were more likely to find academic goals important when the focused on the concrete how question.
Next, 90 students were asked to free associate to 10 positive words, 10 neutral words, or 10 negative words -- a task known to put people in a good, neutral, or bad mood. Then the students watched one of two orange juice ads. One ad said you should drink orange juice because it's an investment in your future health. The other ad said you should drink orange juice because it would ensure your health today.
Sure enough, students in a good mood were more likely to say they'd buy orange juice after seeing the future-benefit ad. Those in a bad mood were more likely to buy based on the immediate-benefit ad.

Finally, the researchers asked 69 students to focus on either academic goals or friendship goals. Then the students were asked to re-experience the best or worst day of their lives. After undergoing a free-association task, the students were given a scenario in which a person must decide between studying for an exam the next day or seeing an old friend who is passing through town on the way out of the country.

When cued to think about academic goals, students in a good mood were more likely than bad-mood students to choose studying for the exam. But when cued to think about friendship goals, students in a good mood were more likely than bad-mood students to choose seeing their old pal.

Good Mood, Big Picture
Taken together, Labroo and Patrick say, the findings show that a good mood makes people see things in more abstract terms. A good mood will lead people to adopt general, long-term goals -- but only those long-term goals seen as accessible.

"We propose that a positive mood, by signaling that a situation is benign, might allow people to step back and take in the big picture," they write. "In contrast, a negative mood, by signaling not only danger but its imminence, might focus attention on immediate and proximal concerns and reduce the adoption of abstract future goals."

Good Mood Lets You Look Beyond Daily Grind

When you're in a bad mood and have your nose to the grindstone, all you see is the task at hand. But a good mood lets you see how the task fits into the bigger picture.
This isn't a motivational motto, it's the finding from five psychology experiments by marketing researchers Aparna A. Labroo, PhD, MBA, of the University of Chicago, and Vanessa M. Patrick, PhD, MBA, of the University of Georgia.
Research shows that a good mood broadens your attention and lets you see future opportunities. A bad mood, however, tends to make you focus on where you are right now. But how does your mood affect the kinds of choices you make?
Let's say you're at the fridge and see that picture of your smiling children. It makes you happy, thus giving you a broader perspective. Will your ability to look toward the future mean you'll put off dieting until later and indulge in unhealthy food later? Or will your foresight prompt you to ensure your future health by eating healthy food now?
Good Mood, Bad Mood Experiments
Labroo and Patrick first looked at whether feel-good cues prompted people to take things more broadly, and whether feel-bad cues prompt a more literal focus.
In their first study, they asked 58 college students to describe a list of 10 activities. Next to each activity (painting a room, for example) was a little smiley face, a little frowny face, or a little neutral face.
Sure enough, students used more abstract terms to describe the task if it was marked with a smiley face, and use more concrete terms for the frowny-face tasks.
Going beyond smiley faces, the researchers actually put 129 students into a good or bad mood by having them focus on either the best or worst day of their lives. Those in a good mood saw tasks in the abstract (painting beautifies the environment, for example). Those in a bad mood saw tasks more concretely (painting lets me choose my favorite paint color, for example).
In a third experiment, 40 students reported how good they felt. Half were given an abstract task -- they were asked to focus on why they study for exams. The other half got a concrete task -- they focused on how they study for exams. Then they were asked how important academic goals were to them.
Students in a good mood were more likely to find academic goals important when they focused on the abstract why question. Students in a bad mood were more likely to find academic goals important when the focused on the concrete how question.
Next, 90 students were asked to free associate to 10 positive words, 10 neutral words, or 10 negative words -- a task known to put people in a good, neutral, or bad mood. Then the students watched one of two orange juice ads. One ad said you should drink orange juice because it's an investment in your future health. The other ad said you should drink orange juice because it would ensure your health today.
Sure enough, students in a good mood were more likely to say they'd buy orange juice after seeing the future-benefit ad. Those in a bad mood were more likely to buy based on the immediate-benefit ad.

Finally, the researchers asked 69 students to focus on either academic goals or friendship goals. Then the students were asked to re-experience the best or worst day of their lives. After undergoing a free-association task, the students were given a scenario in which a person must decide between studying for an exam the next day or seeing an old friend who is passing through town on the way out of the country.

When cued to think about academic goals, students in a good mood were more likely than bad-mood students to choose studying for the exam. But when cued to think about friendship goals, students in a good mood were more likely than bad-mood students to choose seeing their old pal.

Good Mood, Big Picture
Taken together, Labroo and Patrick say, the findings show that a good mood makes people see things in more abstract terms. A good mood will lead people to adopt general, long-term goals -- but only those long-term goals seen as accessible.

"We propose that a positive mood, by signaling that a situation is benign, might allow people to step back and take in the big picture," they write. "In contrast, a negative mood, by signaling not only danger but its imminence, might focus attention on immediate and proximal concerns and reduce the adoption of abstract future goals."













Babies born four months before the peak cold and flu season have a 30 percent higher risk of developing asthma, U.S. researchers said on Friday, suggesting that these common infections may trigger asthma.

"All infants are exposed to this and it is potentially preventable," said Dr. Tina Hartert, director of the center for Asthma Research at Vanderbilt University, whose study appears in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

She said it has been known for some time that infants in the Northern Hemisphere born in the fall are at higher risk of developing asthma, but the study is the first to tie this trend to peak viral activity in the winter months.
Hartert and colleagues studied the medical records of 95,000 infants and their mothers in the state of Tennessee.

They found that all babies in the study were at increased risk if they had bronchiolitis, a lung infection usually caused by respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. But autumn babies were at the highest risk.

"What we were able to show was the timing of birth and the risk of developing asthma moves in time almost to the day with the peak of these viral infections each winter," she said.

While genetic risk factors predispose a child to develop asthma, Hartert thinks environmental exposure such as winter viral infection, and particularly RSV infection, may activate those genes.

Nearly every child is infected with RSV early in life, with infections occurring most often between the ages of 3 and 6 months. The virus usually clears up without serious complications.


Hartert said the task now is to prove that preventing such infections could keep infants from developing asthma. "That is where we are now. We need to prove that preventing this infection prevents this lifelong chronic disease," she said.

The easiest way to do that would be a vaccine, but so far, none exists. Vaccine makers GenVec Inc, AstraZeneca's MedImmune unit and others are working on RSV vaccines.

"It's in the pipeline. We just don't have one yet," Hartert said

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

AIDS




Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a set of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).[1] This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors. HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk.[2][3] This transmission can involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.

AIDS is now a pandemic.[4] In 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children.[5] Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa,[5] retarding economic growth and destroying human capital.[6] Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century.[7] AIDS was first recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981 and its cause, HIV, identified by American and French scientists in the early 1980s.[8]

Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but these drugs are expensive and routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries.[9] Due to the difficulty in treating HIV infection, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the AIDS epidemic, with health organizations promoting safe sex and needle-exchange programmes in attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

Contents


1 Symptoms
1.1 Pulmonary infections
1.2 Gastrointestinal infections
1.3 Neurological and psychiatric involvement
1.4 Tumors and malignancies
1.5 Other opportunistic infections
2 Cause
2.1 Sexual transmission
2.2 Exposure to blood-borne pathogens
2.3 Perinatal transmission
2.4 Misconceptions
3 Pathophysiology
3.1 Cells affected
3.2 The effect
3.3 Molecular basis
4 Diagnosis
4.1 WHO disease staging system
4.2 CDC classification system
4.3 HIV test
5 Prevention
5.1 Sexual contact
5.2 Exposure to infected body fluids
5.3 Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT)
6 Treatment
6.1 Antiviral therapy
6.2 Future research
6.3 Alternative medicine
7 Prognosis
8 Epidemiology
9 History
10 Society and culture
10.1 Stigma
10.2 Economic impact
10.3 AIDS denialism
11 Notes and references
12 Further reading
13 External links



Symptoms

A generalized graph of the relationship between HIV copies (viral load) and CD4 counts over the average course of untreated HIV infection; any particular individual's disease course may vary considerably.
CD4+ T Lymphocyte count (cells/mm³)

HIV RNA copies per mL of plasmaThe symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of conditions that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. Most of these conditions are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that are normally controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages. Opportunistic infections are common in people with AIDS.[10] HIV affects nearly every organ system. People with AIDS also have an increased risk of developing various cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma, cervical cancer and cancers of the immune system known as lymphomas. Additionally, people with AIDS often have systemic symptoms of infection like fevers, sweats (particularly at night), swollen glands, chills, weakness, and weight loss.[11][12] The specific opportunistic infections that AIDS patients develop depend in part on the prevalence of these infections in the geographic area in which the patient lives.


Main symptoms of AIDS.
Pulmonary infections

X-ray of Pneumocystis jirovecii caused pneumonia. There is increased white (opacity) in the lower lungs on both sides, characteristic of Pneumocystis pneumoniaPneumocystis pneumonia (originally known as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and still abbreviated as PCP, which now stands for Pneumocystis pneumonia) is relatively rare in healthy, immunocompetent people, but common among HIV-infected individuals. It is caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii. Before the advent of effective diagnosis, treatment and routine prophylaxis in Western countries, it was a common immediate cause of death. In developing countries, it is still one of the first indications of AIDS in untested individuals, although it does not generally occur unless the CD4 count is less than 200 cells per µL of blood.[13]

Tuberculosis (TB) is unique among infections associated with HIV because it is transmissible to immunocompetent people via the respiratory route, is easily treatable once identified, may occur in early-stage HIV disease, and is preventable with drug therapy. However, multidrug resistance is a potentially serious problem. Even though its incidence has declined because of the use of directly observed therapy and other improved practices in Western countries, this is not the case in developing countries where HIV is most prevalent. In early-stage HIV infection (CD4 count >300 cells per µL), TB typically presents as a pulmonary disease. In advanced HIV infection, TB often presents atypically with extrapulmonary (systemic) disease a common feature. Symptoms are usually constitutional and are not localized to one particular site, often affecting bone marrow, bone, urinary and gastrointestinal tracts, liver, regional lymph nodes, and the central nervous system.[14]


Gastrointestinal infections
Esophagitis is an inflammation of the lining of the lower end of the esophagus (gullet or swallowing tube leading to the stomach). In HIV infected individuals, this is normally due to fungal (candidiasis) or viral (herpes simplex-1 or cytomegalovirus) infections. In rare cases, it could be due to mycobacteria.[15]

Unexplained chronic diarrhea in HIV infection is due to many possible causes, including common bacterial (Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria or Campylobacter) and parasitic infections; and uncommon opportunistic infections such as cryptosporidiosis, microsporidiosis, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and viruses,[16] astrovirus, adenovirus, rotavirus and cytomegalovirus, (the latter as a course of colitis). In some cases, diarrhea may be a side effect of several drugs used to treat HIV, or it may simply accompany HIV infection, particularly during primary HIV infection. It may also be a side effect of antibiotics used to treat bacterial causes of diarrhea (common for Clostridium difficile). In the later stages of HIV infection, diarrhea is thought to be a reflection of changes in the way the intestinal tract absorbs nutrients, and may be an important component of HIV-related wasting.[17]


Neurological and psychiatric involvement
HIV infection may lead to a variety of neuropsychiatric sequelae, either by infection of the now susceptible nervous system by organisms, or as a direct consequence of the illness itself.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii; it usually infects the brain, causing toxoplasma encephalitis, but it can also infect and cause disease in the eyes and lungs.[18] Cryptococcal meningitis is an infection of the meninx (the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord) by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. It can cause fevers, headache, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Patients may also develop seizures and confusion; left untreated, it can be lethal.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease, in which the gradual destruction of the myelin sheath covering the axons of nerve cells impairs the transmission of nerve impulses. It is caused by a virus called JC virus which occurs in 70% of the population in latent form, causing disease only when the immune system has been severely weakened, as is the case for AIDS patients. It progresses rapidly, usually causing death within months of diagnosis.[19]

AIDS dementia complex (ADC) is a metabolic encephalopathy induced by HIV infection and fueled by immune activation of HIV infected brain macrophages and microglia. These cells are productively infected by HIV and secrete neurotoxins of both host and viral origin.[20] Specific neurological impairments are manifested by cognitive, behavioral, and motor abnormalities that occur after years of HIV infection and are associated with low CD4+ T cell levels and high plasma viral loads. Prevalence is 10–20% in Western countries[21] but only 1–2% of HIV infections in India.[22][23] This difference is possibly due to the HIV subtype in India. AIDS related mania is sometimes seen in patients with advanced HIV illness; it presents with more irritability and cognitive impairment and less euphoria than a manic episode associated with true bipolar disorder. Unlike the latter condition, it may have a more chronic course. This syndrome is less often seen with the advent of multi-drug therapy.


Tumors and malignancies

Kaposi's sarcomaPatients with HIV infection have substantially increased incidence of several cancers. This is primarily due to co-infection with an oncogenic DNA virus, especially Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and human papillomavirus (HPV).[24][25]

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common tumor in HIV-infected patients. The appearance of this tumor in young homosexual men in 1981 was one of the first signals of the AIDS epidemic. Caused by a gammaherpes virus called Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), it often appears as purplish nodules on the skin, but can affect other organs, especially the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs.

High-grade B cell lymphomas such as Burkitt's lymphoma, Burkitt's-like lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and primary central nervous system lymphoma present more often in HIV-infected patients. These particular cancers often foreshadow a poor prognosis. In some cases these lymphomas are AIDS-defining. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or KSHV cause many of these lymphomas.

Cervical cancer in HIV-infected women is considered AIDS-defining. It is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).[26]

In addition to the AIDS-defining tumors listed above, HIV-infected patients are at increased risk of certain other tumors, such as Hodgkin's disease and anal and rectal carcinomas. However, the incidence of many common tumors, such as breast cancer or colon cancer, does not increase in HIV-infected patients. In areas where HAART is extensively used to treat AIDS, the incidence of many AIDS-related malignancies has decreased, but at the same time malignant cancers overall have become the most common cause of death of HIV-infected patients.[27]


Other opportunistic infections
AIDS patients often develop opportunistic infections that present with non-specific symptoms, especially low-grade fevers and weight loss. These include infection with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare and cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV can cause colitis, as described above, and CMV retinitis can cause blindness. Penicilliosis due to Penicillium marneffei is now the third most common opportunistic infection (after extrapulmonary tuberculosis and cryptococcosis) in HIV-positive individuals within the endemic area of Southeast Asia.[28]


Cause
For more details on this topic, see HIV.

Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1, colored green, budding from a cultured lymphocyte.AIDS is the most severe acceleration of infection with HIV. HIV is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital organs of the human immune system such as CD4+ T cells (a subset of T cells), macrophages and dendritic cells. It directly and indirectly destroys CD4+ T cells.[29] Once HIV has killed so many CD4+ T cells that there are fewer than 200 of these cells per microliter (µL) of blood, cellular immunity is lost. Acute HIV infection progresses over time to clinical latent HIV infection and then to early symptomatic HIV infection and later to AIDS, which is identified either on the basis of the amount of CD4+ T cells remaining in the blood, and/or the presence of certain infections, as noted above.[30]

In the absence of antiretroviral therapy, the median time of progression from HIV infection to AIDS is nine to ten years, and the median survival time after developing AIDS is only 9.2 months.[31] However, the rate of clinical disease progression varies widely between individuals, from two weeks up to 20 years. Many factors affect the rate of progression. These include factors that influence the body's ability to defend against HIV such as the infected person's general immune function.[32][33] Older people have weaker immune systems, and therefore have a greater risk of rapid disease progression than younger people. Poor access to health care and the existence of coexisting infections such as tuberculosis also may predispose people to faster disease progression.[31][34][35] The infected person's genetic inheritance plays an important role and some people are resistant to certain strains of HIV. An example of this is people with the homozygous CCR5-Δ32 variation are resistant to infection with certain strains of HIV.[36] HIV is genetically variable and exists as different strains, which cause different rates of clinical disease progression.[37][38][39]


Sexual transmission
Sexual transmission occurs with the contact between sexual secretions of one person with the rectal, genital or oral mucous membranes of another. Unprotected receptive sexual acts are riskier than unprotected insertive sexual acts, and the risk for transmitting HIV through unprotected anal intercourse is greater than the risk from vaginal intercourse or oral sex. However, oral sex is not entirely safe, as HIV can be transmitted through both insertive and receptive oral sex.[40][41] Sexual assault greatly increases the risk of HIV transmission as protection is rarely employed and physical trauma to the vagina frequently occurs, facilitating the transmission of HIV.[42]

Other sexually transmitted infections (STI) increase the risk of HIV transmission and infection, because they cause the disruption of the normal epithelial barrier by genital ulceration and/or microulceration; and by accumulation of pools of HIV-susceptible or HIV-infected cells (lymphocytes and macrophages) in semen and vaginal secretions. Epidemiological studies from sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and North America suggest that genital ulcers, such as those caused by syphilis and/or chancroid, increase the risk of becoming infected with HIV by about four-fold. There is also a significant although lesser increase in risk from STIs such as gonorrhea, Chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis, which all cause local accumulations of lymphocytes and macrophages.[43]

Transmission of HIV depends on the infectiousness of the index case and the susceptibility of the uninfected partner. Infectivity seems to vary during the course of illness and is not constant between individuals. An undetectable plasma viral load does not necessarily indicate a low viral load in the seminal liquid or genital secretions. However, each 10-fold increase in the level of HIV in the blood is associated with an 81% increased rate of HIV transmission.[43][44] Women are more susceptible to HIV-1 infection due to hormonal changes, vaginal microbial ecology and physiology, and a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.[45][46] People who have been infected with one strain of HIV can still be infected later on in their lives by other, more virulent strains.

Infection is unlikely in a single encounter. High rates of infection have been linked to a pattern of overlapping long-term romantic relationships. This allows the virus to quickly spread to multiple partners who in turn infect their partners. A pattern of serial monogamy or occasional casual encounters is associated with lower rates of infection.[47]

HIV spreads readily through heterosexual sex in Africa, but less so elsewhere. One possibility being researched is that schistosomiasis, which affects up to 50 per cent of women in parts of Africa, damages the lining of the vagina.[48][49]


Exposure to blood-borne pathogens

CDC poster from 1989 highlighting the threat of AIDS associated with drug useThis transmission route is particularly relevant to intravenous drug users, hemophiliacs and recipients of blood transfusions and blood products. Sharing and reusing syringes contaminated with HIV-infected blood represents a major risk for infection with HIV. Needle sharing is the cause of one third of all new HIV-infections in North America, China, and Eastern Europe. The risk of being infected with HIV from a single prick with a needle that has been used on an HIV-infected person is thought to be about 1 in 150 (see table above). Post-exposure prophylaxis with anti-HIV drugs can further reduce this risk.[50] This route can also affect people who give and receive tattoos and piercings. Universal precautions are frequently not followed in both sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia because of both a shortage of supplies and inadequate training. The WHO estimates that approximately 2.5% of all HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa are transmitted through unsafe healthcare injections.[51] Because of this, the United Nations General Assembly has urged the nations of the world to implement precautions to prevent HIV transmission by health workers.[52]

The risk of transmitting HIV to blood transfusion recipients is extremely low in developed countries where improved donor selection and HIV screening is performed. However, according to the WHO, the overwhelming majority of the world's population does not have access to safe blood and between 5% and 10% of the world's HIV infections come from transfusion of infected blood and blood products.[53]


Perinatal transmission
The transmission of the virus from the mother to the child can occur in utero during the last weeks of pregnancy and at childbirth. In the absence of treatment, the transmission rate between a mother and her child during pregnancy, labor and delivery is 25%. However, when the mother takes antiretroviral therapy and gives birth by caesarean section, the rate of transmission is just 1%.[54] The risk of infection is influenced by the viral load of the mother at birth, with the higher the viral load, the higher the risk. Breastfeeding also increases the risk of transmission by about 4 %.[55]


Misconceptions
Main article: HIV and AIDS misconceptions
A number of misconceptions have arisen surrounding HIV/AIDS. Three of the most common are that AIDS can spread through casual contact, that sexual intercourse with a virgin will cure AIDS, and that HIV can infect only homosexual men and drug users. Other misconceptions are that any act of anal intercourse between gay men can lead to AIDS infection, and that open discussion of homosexuality and HIV in schools will lead to increased rates of homosexuality and AIDS.[56]


Pathophysiology
This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (April 2008)

The pathophysiology of AIDS is complex, as is the case with all syndromes.[57] Ultimately, HIV causes AIDS by depleting CD4+ T helper lymphocytes. This weakens the immune system and allows opportunistic infections. T lymphocytes are essential to the immune response and without them, the body cannot fight infections or kill cancerous cells. The mechanism of CD4+ T cell depletion differs in the acute and chronic phases.[58] During the acute phase, HIV-induced cell lysis and killing of infected cells by cytotoxic T cells accounts for CD4+ T cell depletion, although apoptosis may also be a factor. During the chronic phase, the consequences of generalized immune activation coupled with the gradual loss of the ability of the immune system to generate new T cells appear to account for the slow decline in CD4+ T cell numbers.

Although the symptoms of immune deficiency characteristic of AIDS do not appear for years after a person is infected, the bulk of CD4+ T cell loss occurs during the first weeks of infection, especially in the intestinal mucosa, which harbors the majority of the lymphocytes found in the body. [59] The reason for the preferential loss of mucosal CD4+ T cells is that a majority of mucosal CD4+ T cells express the CCR5 coreceptor, whereas a small fraction of CD4+ T cells in the bloodstream do so.[60] HIV seeks out and destroys CCR5 expressing CD4+ cells during acute infection. A vigorous immune response eventually controls the infection and initiates the clinically latent phase. However, CD4+ T cells in mucosal tissues remain depleted throughout the infection, although enough remain to initially ward off life-threatening infections.

Continuous HIV replication results in a state of generalized immune activation persisting throughout the chronic phase. [61] Immune activation, which is reflected by the increased activation state of immune cells and release of proinflammatory cytokines, results from the activity of several HIV gene products and the immune response to ongoing HIV replication. Another cause is the breakdown of the immune surveillance system of the mucosal barrier caused by the depletion of mucosal CD4+ T cells during the acute phase of disease.[62] This results in the systemic exposure of the immune system to microbial components of the gut’s normal flora, which in a healthy person is kept in check by the mucosal immune system. The activation and proliferation of T cells that results from immune activation provides fresh targets for HIV infection. However, direct killing by HIV alone cannot account for the observed depletion of CD4+ T cells since only 0.01-0.10% of CD4+ T cells in the blood are infected. A major cause of CD4+ T cell loss appears to result from their heightened susceptibility to apoptosis when the immune system remains activated. Although new T cells are continuously produced by the thymus to replace the ones lost, the regenerative capacity of the thymus is slowly destroyed by direct infection of its thymocytes by HIV. Eventually, the minimal number of CD4+ T cells necessary to maintain a sufficient immune response is lost, leading to AIDS


Cells affected
The virus, entering through which ever route, acts primarily on the following cells:[63]

Lymphoreticular system:
CD4+ T-Helper cells
CD4+ Macrophages
CD4+ Monocytes
B-lymphocytes
Certain endothelial cells
Central nervous system:
Microglia of the nervous system
Astrocytes
Oligodendrocytes
Neurones - indirectly by the action of cytokines and the gp-120

The effect
The virus has cytopathic effects but how it does it is still not quite clear. It can remain inactive in these cells for long periods, though. This effect is hypothesized to be due to the CD4-gp120 interaction.[64]

The most prominent effect of the HIV virus is its T-helper cell suppression and lysis. The cell is simply killed off or deranged to the point of being function-less (they do not respond to foreign antigens). The infected B-cells can not produce enough antibodies either. Thus the immune system collapses leading to the familiar AIDS complications, like infections and neoplasms (vide supra).
Infection of the cells of the CNS cause acute aseptic meningitis, subacute encephalitis, vacuolar myelopathy and peripheral neuropathy. Later it leads to even AIDS dementia complex.
The CD4-gp120 interaction (vide supra) is also permissive to other viruses like Cytomegalovirus, Hepatitis virus, Herpes simplex virus, etc. These viruses lead to further cell damage i.e. cytopathy.

Molecular basis
For details, see:

Structure and genome of HIV
HIV replication cycle
HIV tropism

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of AIDS in a person infected with HIV is based on the presence of certain signs or symptoms. Since June 5, 1981, many definitions have been developed for epidemiological surveillance such as the Bangui definition and the 1994 expanded World Health Organization AIDS case definition. However, clinical staging of patients was not an intended use for these systems as they are neither sensitive, nor specific. In developing countries, the World Health Organization staging system for HIV infection and disease, using clinical and laboratory data, is used and in developed countries, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Classification System is used.


WHO disease staging system
Main article: WHO Disease Staging System for HIV Infection and Disease
In 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) grouped these infections and conditions together by introducing a staging system for patients infected with HIV-1.[65] An update took place in September 2005. Most of these conditions are opportunistic infections that are easily treatable in healthy people.

Stage I: HIV infection is asymptomatic and not categorized as AIDS
Stage II: includes minor mucocutaneous manifestations and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections
Stage III: includes unexplained chronic diarrhea for longer than a month, severe bacterial infections and pulmonary tuberculosis
Stage IV: includes toxoplasmosis of the brain, candidiasis of the esophagus, trachea, bronchi or lungs and Kaposi's sarcoma; these diseases are indicators of AIDS.

CDC classification system
Main article: CDC Classification System for HIV Infection
There are two main definitions for AIDS, both produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The older definition is to referring to AIDS using the diseases that were associated with it, for example, lymphadenopathy, the disease after which the discoverers of HIV originally named the virus.[66][67] In 1993, the CDC expanded their definition of AIDS to include all HIV positive people with a CD4+ T cell count below 200 per µL of blood or 14% of all lymphocytes.[68] The majority of new AIDS cases in developed countries use either this definition or the pre-1993 CDC definition. The AIDS diagnosis still stands even if, after treatment, the CD4+ T cell count rises to above 200 per µL of blood or other AIDS-defining illnesses are cured.


HIV test
Main article: HIV test
Many people are unaware that they are infected with HIV.[69] Less than 1% of the sexually active urban population in Africa has been tested, and this proportion is even lower in rural populations. Furthermore, only 0.5% of pregnant women attending urban health facilities are counseled, tested or receive their test results. Again, this proportion is even lower in rural health facilities.[69] Therefore, donor blood and blood products used in medicine and medical research are screened for HIV.

HIV tests are usually performed on venous blood. Many laboratories use fourth generation screening tests which detect anti-HIV antibody (IgG and IgM) and the HIV p24 antigen. The detection of HIV antibody or antigen in a patient previously known to be negative is evidence of HIV infection. Individuals whose first specimen indicates evidence of HIV infection will have a repeat test on a second blood sample to confirm the results. The window period (the time between initial infection and the development of detectable antibodies against the infection) can vary since it can take 3–6 months to seroconvert and to test positive. Detection of the virus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) during the window period is possible, and evidence suggests that an infection may often be detected earlier than when using a fourth generation EIA screening test. Positive results obtained by PCR are confirmed by antibody tests.[70] Routinely used HIV tests for infection in neonates, born to HIV-positive mothers, have no value because of the presence of maternal antibody to HIV in the child's blood. HIV infection can only be diagnosed by PCR, testing for HIV pro-viral DNA in the children's lymphocytes.[71]


Prevention
Estimated per act risk for acquisition
of HIV by exposure route[72] Exposure Route Estimated infections
per 10,000 exposures
to an infected source
Blood Transfusion 9,000[73]
Childbirth 2,500[54]
Needle-sharing injection drug use 67[74]
Percutaneous needle stick 30[75]
Receptive anal intercourse* 50[76][77]
Insertive anal intercourse* 6.5[76][77]
Receptive penile-vaginal intercourse* 10[76][77][78]
Insertive penile-vaginal intercourse* 5[76][77]
Receptive oral intercourse*§ 1[77]
Insertive oral intercourse*§ 0.5[77]
* assuming no condom use
§ source refers to oral intercourse
performed on a man
The three main transmission routes of HIV are sexual contact, exposure to infected body fluids or tissues, and from mother to fetus or child during perinatal period. It is possible to find HIV in the saliva, tears, and urine of infected individuals, but there are no recorded cases of infection by these secretions, and the risk of infection is negligible.[79]


Sexual contact
The majority of HIV infections are acquired through unprotected sexual relations between partners, one of whom has HIV. The primary mode of HIV infection worldwide is through sexual contact between members of the opposite sex.[80][81][82] During a sexual act, only male or female condoms can reduce the chances of infection with HIV and other STDs and the chances of becoming pregnant. The best evidence to date indicates that typical condom use reduces the risk of heterosexual HIV transmission by approximately 80% over the long-term, though the benefit is likely to be higher if condoms are used correctly on every occasion.[83] The male latex condom, if used correctly without oil-based lubricants, is the single most effective available technology to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Manufacturers recommend that oil-based lubricants such as petroleum jelly, butter, and lard not be used with latex condoms, because they dissolve the latex, making the condoms porous. If necessary, manufacturers recommend using water-based lubricants. Oil-based lubricants can however be used with polyurethane condoms.[84]

The female condom is an alternative to the male condom and is made from polyurethane, which allows it to be used in the presence of oil-based lubricants. They are larger than male condoms and have a stiffened ring-shaped opening, and are designed to be inserted into the vagina. The female condom contains an inner ring, which keeps the condom in place inside the vagina – inserting the female condom requires squeezing this ring. However, at present availability of female condoms is very low and the price remains prohibitive for many women. Preliminary studies suggest that, where female condoms are available, overall protected sexual acts increase relative to unprotected sexual acts, making them an important HIV prevention strategy.[85]

Studies on couples where one partner is infected show that with consistent condom use, HIV infection rates for the uninfected partner are below 1% per year.[86] Prevention strategies are well-known in developed countries, however, recent epidemiological and behavioral studies in Europe and North America have suggested that a substantial minority of young people continue to engage in high-risk practices and that despite HIV/AIDS knowledge, young people underestimate their own risk of becoming infected with HIV.[87]

Randomized controlled trials have shown that male circumcision lowers the risk of HIV infection among heterosexual men by up to 60%.[88] It is expected that this procedure will be actively promoted in many of the countries affected by HIV, although doing so will involve confronting a number of practical, cultural and attitudinal issues. Some experts fear that a lower perception of vulnerability among circumcised men may result in more sexual risk-taking behavior, thus negating its preventive effects.[89]


Exposure to infected body fluids
Health care workers can reduce exposure to HIV by employing precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to contaminated blood. These precautions include barriers such as gloves, masks, protective eyeware or shields, and gowns or aprons which prevent exposure of the skin or mucous membranes to blood borne pathogens. Frequent and thorough washing of the skin immediately after being contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids can reduce the chance of infection. Finally, sharp objects like needles, scalpels and glass, are carefully disposed of to prevent needlestick injuries with contaminated items.[90] Since intravenous drug use is an important factor in HIV transmission in developed countries, harm reduction strategies such as needle-exchange programmes are used in attempts to reduce the infections caused by drug abuse.[91][92]


Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT)
Current recommendations state that when replacement feeding is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe, HIV-infected mothers should avoid breast-feeding their infant. However, if this is not the case, exclusive breast-feeding is recommended during the first months of life and discontinued as soon as possible.[93]


Treatment
See also HIV Treatment and Antiretroviral drug.

Abacavir – a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NARTI or NRTI)
The chemical structure of AbacavirThere is currently no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS. The only known methods of prevention are based on avoiding exposure to the virus or, failing that, an antiretroviral treatment directly after a highly significant exposure, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).[94] PEP has a very demanding four week schedule of dosage. It also has very unpleasant side effects including diarrhea, malaise, nausea and fatigue.[95]


Antiviral therapy
Current treatment for HIV infection consists of highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART.[96] This has been highly beneficial to many HIV-infected individuals since its introduction in 1996 when the protease inhibitor-based HAART initially became available.[9] Current optimal HAART options consist of combinations (or "cocktails") consisting of at least three drugs belonging to at least two types, or "classes," of antiretroviral agents. Typical regimens consist of two nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NARTIs or NRTIs) plus either a protease inhibitor or a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). Because HIV disease progression in children is more rapid than in adults, and laboratory parameters are less predictive of risk for disease progression, particularly for young infants, treatment recommendations are more aggressive for children than for adults.[97] In developed countries where HAART is available, doctors assess the viral load, rapidity in CD4 decline, and patient readiness while deciding when to recommend initiating treatment.[98]

HAART allows the stabilization of the patient’s symptoms and viremia, but it neither cures the patient of HIV, nor alleviates the symptoms, and high levels of HIV-1, often HAART resistant, return once treatment is stopped.[99][100] Moreover, it would take more than the lifetime of an individual to be cleared of HIV infection using HAART.[101] Despite this, many HIV-infected individuals have experienced remarkable improvements in their general health and quality of life, which has led to the plummeting of HIV-associated morbidity and mortality.[102][103][104] In the absence of HAART, progression from HIV infection to AIDS occurs at a median of between nine to ten years and the median survival time after developing AIDS is only 9.2 months.[31] HAART is thought to increase survival time by between 4 and 12 years.[105][106]

For some patients, which can be more than fifty percent of patients, HAART achieves far less than optimal results, due to medication intolerance/side effects, prior ineffective antiretroviral therapy and infection with a drug-resistant strain of HIV. Non-adherence and non-persistence with therapy are the major reasons why some people do not benefit from HAART.[107] The reasons for non-adherence and non-persistence are varied. Major psychosocial issues include poor access to medical care, inadequate social supports, psychiatric disease and drug abuse. HAART regimens can also be complex and thus hard to follow, with large numbers of pills taken frequently.[108][109][110] Side effects can also deter people from persisting with HAART, these include lipodystrophy, dyslipidaemia, diarrhoea, insulin resistance, an increase in cardiovascular risks and birth defects.[111] Anti-retroviral drugs are expensive, and the majority of the world's infected individuals do not have access to medications and treatments for HIV and AIDS.


Future research
It has been postulated that only a vaccine can halt the pandemic because a vaccine would possibly cost less, thus being affordable for developing countries, and would not require daily treatments. However, even after almost 30 years of research, HIV-1 remains a difficult target for a vaccine.[112]

Research to improve current treatments includes decreasing side effects of current drugs, further simplifying drug regimens to improve adherence, and determining the best sequence of regimens to manage drug resistance. A number of studies have shown that measures to prevent opportunistic infections can be beneficial when treating patients with HIV infection or AIDS. Vaccination against hepatitis A and B is advised for patients who are not infected with these viruses and are at risk of becoming infected.[113] Patients with substantial immunosuppression are also advised to receive prophylactic therapy for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP), and many patients may benefit from prophylactic therapy for toxoplasmosis and Cryptococcus meningitis as well.[95]

Researchers have discovered an abzyme that can destroy the protein gp120 CD4 binding site. This protein is common to all HIV variants as it is the attachment point for B lymphocytes and subsequent compromising of the immune system.[114]


Alternative medicine
Various forms of alternative medicine have been used to treat symptoms or alter the course of the disease.[115] Acupuncture has been used to alleviate some symptoms, such peripheral neuropathy, but cannot cure the HIV infection.[116] Several randomized clinical trials testing the effect of herbal medicines have shown that there is no evidence that these herbs have any effect on the progression of the disease, but may instead produce serious side-effects.[117]

Some data suggest that multivitamin and mineral supplements might reduce HIV disease progression in adults, although there is no conclusive evidence on if they reduce mortality among people with good nutritional status.[118] Vitamin A supplementation in children probably has some benefit.[118] Daily doses of selenium can suppress HIV viral burden with an associated improvement of the CD4 count. Selenium can be used as an adjunct therapy to standard antiviral treatments, but cannot itself reduce mortality and morbidity.[119]

Current studies indicate that that alternative medicine therapies have little effect on the mortality or morbidity of the disease, but may improve the quality of life of individuals afflicted with AIDS. The psychological benefits of these therapies are the most important use.[115]


Prognosis
Without treatment, the net median survival time after infection with HIV is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, depending on the HIV subtype,[5] and the median survival rate after diagnosis of AIDS in resource-limited settings where treatment is not available ranges between 6 and 19 months, depending on the study.[120] In areas where it is widely available, the development of HAART as effective therapy for HIV infection and AIDS reduced the death rate from this disease by 80%, and raised the life expectancy for a newly diagnosed HIV-infected person to about 20 years.[121]

As new treatments continue to be developed and because HIV continues to evolve resistance to treatments, estimates of survival time are likely to continue to change. Without antiretroviral therapy, death normally occurs within a year.[31] Most patients die from opportunistic infections or malignancies associated with the progressive failure of the immune system.[122] The rate of clinical disease progression varies widely between individuals and has been shown to be affected by many factors such as host susceptibility and immune function[32][33][36] health care and co-infections,[31][122] as well as which particular strain of the virus is involved.[38][123][124]


Epidemiology
Main article: AIDS pandemic

Estimated prevalence of HIV among young adults (15-49) per country at the end of 2005The AIDS pandemic can also be seen as several epidemics of separate subtypes; the major factors in its spread are sexual transmission and vertical transmission from mother to child at birth and through breast milk.[4] Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS pandemic claimed an estimated 2.1 million (range 1.9–2.4 million) lives in 2007 of which an estimated 330,000 were children under 15 years.[5] Globally, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with HIV in 2007, including 2.5 million children. An estimated 2.5 million (range 1.8–4.1 million) people were newly infected in 2007, including 420,000 children.[5]

Sub-Saharan Africa remains by far the worst affected region. In 2007 it contained an estimated 68% of all people living with AIDS and 76% of all AIDS deaths, with 1.7 million new infections bringing the number of people living with HIV to 22.5 million, and with 11.4 million AIDS orphans living in the region. Unlike other regions, most people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa in 2007 (61%) were women. Adult prevalence in 2007 was an estimated 5.0%, and AIDS continued to be the single largest cause of mortality in this region.[5] South Africa has the largest population of HIV patients in the world, followed by Nigeria and India.[125] South & South East Asia are second worst affected; in 2007 this region contained an estimated 18% of all people living with AIDS, and an estimated 300,000 deaths from AIDS.[5] India has an estimated 2.5 million infections and an estimated adult prevalence of 0.36%.[5] Life expectancy has fallen dramatically in the worst-affected countries; for example, in 2006 it was estimated that it had dropped from 65 to 35 years in Botswana.[4]


History
Main article: AIDS origin
AIDS was first reported June 5, 1981, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded a cluster of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now still classified as PCP but known to be caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii) in five homosexual men in Los Angeles.[126] In the beginning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not have an official name for the disease, often referring to it by way of the diseases that were associated with it, for example, lymphadenopathy, the disease after which the discoverers of HIV originally named the virus.[66][67] They also used Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections, the name by which a task force had been set up in 1981.[127] In the general press, the term GRID, which stood for Gay-related immune deficiency, had been coined.[128] The CDC, in search of a name, and looking at the infected communities coined “the 4H disease,” as it seemed to single out Haitians, homosexuals, hemophiliacs, and heroin users.[129] However, after determining that AIDS was not isolated to the homosexual community,[127] the term GRID became misleading and AIDS was introduced at a meeting in July 1982.[130] By September 1982 the CDC started using the name AIDS, and properly defined the illness.[131]

A more controversial theory known as the OPV AIDS hypothesis suggests that the AIDS epidemic was inadvertently started in the late 1950s in the Belgian Congo by Hilary Koprowski's research into a poliomyelitis vaccine.[132][133] According to scientific consensus, this scenario is not supported by the available evidence.[134][135][136]

A recent study states that HIV probably moved from Africa to Haiti and then entered the United States around 1969.[137]

Also see AIDS origins opposed to scientific consensus


Society and culture

Stigma

Ryan White became a poster child for HIV after being expelled from school because of his infection.AIDS stigma exists around the world in a variety of ways, including ostracism, rejection, discrimination and avoidance of HIV infected people; compulsory HIV testing without prior consent or protection of confidentiality; violence against HIV infected individuals or people who are perceived to be infected with HIV; and the quarantine of HIV infected individuals.[138] Stigma-related violence or the fear of violence prevents many people from seeking HIV testing, returning for their results, or securing treatment, possibly turning what could be a manageable chronic illness into a death sentence and perpetuating the spread of HIV.[139]

AIDS stigma has been further divided into the following three categories:

Instrumental AIDS stigma—a reflection of the fear and apprehension that are likely to be associated with any deadly and transmissible illness.[140]
Symbolic AIDS stigma—the use of HIV/AIDS to express attitudes toward the social groups or lifestyles perceived to be associated with the disease.[140]
Courtesy AIDS stigma—stigmatization of people connected to the issue of HIV/AIDS or HIV- positive people.[141]
Often, AIDS stigma is expressed in conjunction with one or more other stigmas, particularly those associated with homosexuality, bisexuality, promiscuity, and intravenous drug use.

In many developed countries, there is an association between AIDS and homosexuality or bisexuality, and this association is correlated with higher levels of sexual prejudice such as anti-homosexual attitudes.[142] There is also a perceived association between AIDS and all male-male sexual behavior, including sex between uninfected men.[140]


Economic impact
Main article: Economic impact of AIDS

Changes in life expectancy in some hard-hit African countries.
Botswana
Zimbabwe
Kenya
South Africa
UgandaHIV and AIDS affects economic growth by reducing the availability of human capital.[6] Without proper nutrition, health care and medicine that is available in developed countries, large numbers of people are falling victim to AIDS. They will not only be unable to work, but will also require significant medical care. The forecast is that this will likely cause a collapse of economies and societies in countries with a significant AIDS population. In some heavily infected areas, the epidemic has left behind many orphans cared for by elderly grandparents.[143]

The increased mortality in this region will result in a smaller skilled population and labor force. This smaller labor force will be predominantly young people, with reduced knowledge and work experience leading to reduced productivity. An increase in workers’ time off to look after sick family members or for sick leave will also lower productivity. Increased mortality will also weaken the mechanisms that generate human capital and investment in people, through loss of income and the death of parents. By killing off mainly young adults, AIDS seriously weakens the taxable population, reducing the resources available for public expenditures such as education and health services not related to AIDS resulting in increasing pressure for the state's finances and slower growth of the economy. This results in a slower growth of the tax base, an effect that will be reinforced if there are growing expenditures on treating the sick, training (to replace sick workers), sick pay and caring for AIDS orphans. This is especially true if the sharp increase in adult mortality shifts the responsibility and blame from the family to the government in caring for these orphans.[143]

On the level of the household, AIDS results in both the loss of income and increased spending on healthcare by the household. The income effects of this lead to spending reduction as well as a substitution effect away from education and towards healthcare and funeral spending. A study in Côte d'Ivoire showed that households with an HIV/AIDS patient spent twice as much on medical expenses as other households.[144]


AIDS denialism
Main article: AIDS denialism
A small group of activists, including several scientists who do not study HIV/AIDS, question the connection between HIV and AIDS,[145] the existence of HIV itself,[146] or the validity of current testing and treatment methods. Though these claims have been examined and thoroughly rejected by the scientific community,[147] they continue to be promulgated through the Internet[148] and have had a significant political impact, particularly in South Africa, where former President Thabo Mbeki's embrace of AIDS denialism has been blamed for an ineffective response to that country's AIDS epidemic.[