FDA Approved faster HIV test

June 24th, 2010 General, Something UsefulTags: Medicine

They always say that in most of the fatal diseases, an early detection always pays off. That’s why, medical researchers has been doing their very best to detect fatal diseases like HIV as soon as possible. This disease has been killing millions already and most of the time the reason for death of most of the patients is late detection.

Now, a phenomenal ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay has been developed and the Food and Drug Administration has approved it Monday. It is developed by Abbott Laboratories and will be used to diagnose both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in adults, pregnant women and children 2 years and older.

Dr. Karen Midthun, acting director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said that “The approval of this assay represents an advancement in our ability to better diagnose HIV infection in diagnostic settings where nucleic acid testing to detect the virus itself is not routinely used… It provides for more sensitive detection of recent HIV infections compared with antibody tests alone.”

Abbott believes this test will make a difference. “Every nine and a half minutes someone in the United States is infected with HIV. That’s 56,000 new cases each year – enough to fill the baseball stadium in many U.S. cities,” says John Hackett, Jr.., Ph.D., research fellow and manager, emerging pathogens and Virus Discovery, Abbott.

Charlene Wittstock and Monaco Prince Albert are now engaged

June 24th, 2010 General, The BuzzTags: Charlene Wittstock, Monaco

Monaco’s headlines showed this very great news today. The palace has finally announced Wednesday the engagement of their Prince Albert with the former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock.

The first born child of Princess Grace and the late Prince Rainier, has never married at the age of 52.

“There have been some relationships where, had they gone on a little bit more, they would have headed that way,” Albert said. “But I think it’s — it’s so much your own timing and your own agenda and the person you want to be with.” – CNN

Albert has two children from previous relationships — a 6-year-old son born to Nicole Coste, a flight attendant from Togo, and an 18-year-old daughter born to American Tamara Rotolo, a former waitress. But as the rule in the Palace, descendants of the throne should be legitimate.

Both Albert and Charlene are Olympians as the prince has competed in five Olympic Winter Games — from Calgary in 1988 to Salt Lake City in 2002 — in bobsledding. He is a member of the International Olympic Committee and president of Monaco’s national Olympic committee.