There are many different HIV strains. We are using the Zambia HIV strain to make a vaccine because we feel it is critical to stop the spread of HIV in Africa. Parting the Cataract Cloud With the graying of America comes the clouding of our vision. Cataract surgery accounts for more than 12 percent of the Medicare budget, a figure that will grow unless alternative treatments are found. We have applied for a patent for the use of thioltransferase as a therapeutic drug to prevent or delay cataract and other diseases associated with oxidative damage, Lou said.
Cataracts form when the proteins in the lens undergo chemical changes.
These proteins are lined up in a highly ordered way that makes the lens transparent, allowing light to enter the eye. Some environmental agents, such as ultraviolet light, can stress lens proteins, causing oxidation reactions that lets them form crosslinks with other proteins. As the proteins link up they form larger and larger aggregates, eventually causing the opaque patches called cataracts. Lou s research using human lens cells transfected with thioltransferase genes cloned by her lab has shown that the enzyme can reverse or prevent this process. Their findings could be good news for consumers and cattle producers.