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Wednesday, 25 January 2012 11:07 |
 Every day, your immune system protects you by attacking invaders such as bacteria and viruses. But when something goes awry with the body's immune system, immune cells may attack and damage tissues they were designed to protect, resulting in an autoimmune disease. Either the immune system mistakenly identifies healthy tissue as an invader and attacks it, or the immune system is unable to regulate its response. About 8 percent of the U.S. population (three-quarters of this group are women
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Wednesday, 18 January 2012 11:25 |
 A recent NIH study says more than 32 million people in the United States have autoantibodies, which are proteins produced in the immune system that attack the body's tissues, defining a condition known as autoimmunity. It also looked at the prevalence of the most common type of autoantibody, known as antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and found that the frequency of ANA is highest among women, older individuals, and African-Americans. A multi-disciplinary team of researchers evaluated blood serum samples using a technique called immunofluorescence to detect ANA in 4,754 individuals from the
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Tuesday, 17 January 2012 13:46 |
 Most consumers are familiar with the dangers of disease-causing bacteria; but over the last several decades, medical professionals and lay consumers alike have discovered a host of proven and potential benefits to be had from the consumption of so-called “good” or “friendly” bacteria as well. These helpful microrganisms are referred to as probiotics: and while they are already common as digestive and regulatory aids for improved immunity, current research also suggests that some natural probiotic supplements may help minimize the severity of certain gastrointestinal conditions, autoimmune diseases, infections
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Monday, 16 January 2012 07:03 |
 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often a frustrating disease. It can have all the bewildering symptoms of an autoimmune disease, as well as the ups and downs of a chronic pain condition. Luckily, even on bad days there are steps you can take to help counter your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and get back to your normal life. Here are seven things to try:
1. Schedule a massage with a licensed therapist.
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Saturday, 14 January 2012 15:53 |
 1. NCATS: Who moved my cheese?This year, the National Institutes of Health will establish its new National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), created to speed the translation of basic discoveries into therapies that will improve public health. Solutions can be tough to develop, and tougher to implement. How will NIH translate its translational focus to its cadre of basic research-focused scientists? Will NCATS strengthen and streamline existing efforts at
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Saturday, 14 January 2012 09:53 |
 Autoimmune disorders constitute a group of more than 80 different diseases characterized by immune attack of components of a person’s own body, mediated by autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells. Specifically, the common feature that defines autoimmune diseases is the breakdown of immune tolerance and the subsequent malfunction of the immune system, resulting in inflammation and tissue destruction (Cho and Gregersen, 2011).
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Thursday, 05 January 2012 07:38 |
 Many women with systemic sclerosis can have successful pregnancies, but the rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and intrauterine growth restriction are approximately twice as high in these women compared to the general population of pregnant women, based on data from 109 pregnancies in 99 women with systemic sclerosis. The findings were published in December's Arthritis & Rheumatism. Data from previous studies have suggested negative outcomes for pregnancies
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