The Ways and Means of the Immune System: The Rights of Native Indigenous Peoples

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Rights of Native Indigenous Peoples

The UN just passed a non-binding declaration supporting the rights of native indigenous peoples. 143 members of the general assembly voted for it, 11 abstained and 4 voted against: USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Wow.

4 comments:

la rebelde said...: golly that's so telling! ugh.; September 13, 2007 at 7:48 PM
MinCat said...: but of course!!! who else wld? Canada and new zealand have pretty much wiped out indegenous people. australia is possibly the most racist country ever. and the USA does not want any more flat faced evos and hugos littering its borders :D
mrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrow

is essackly like how the USA refuses to sign up for the international criminal courts, so that british troops committing atrocities in bush's war can be prosecuted for them, but not bush' soldiers.

*hops off horse*; September 13, 2007 at 7:56 PM
Veo Claramente said...: indeed. as the people quoted in the article say, tis symbolic.; September 14, 2007 at 7:36 AM
Mad Hatter said...: It may seem nice that 143 nations voted for the declaration, but it is still a non-binding declaration, which I assume means there is no method for enforcement. Perhaps I'm too much of a cynic, but I'm guessing that governments will develop selective amnesia as soon as any part of this declaration conflicts with something they want to do.; September 17, 2007 at 6:25 AM

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I am writing here to express my interest in the wide variety of research that goes on in Immunology today. I am NOT a medical professional, and I do not offer medical advice. These are just my personal opinions, formed by the reading of published journal papers. They are not representative of anything other than my private personal opinions. I do not endorse or revile any journal or group or university or researcher. They are shaped by my background in research, and my specialties. I am not omniscient, so I do not know or understand everything. Enjoy!

The Vocabulary

An Antigen is any molecule that is recognized by the specialized cells of the immune system, usually by antigen receptors on the surfaces of these cells. Antigens are picked up and displayed by other specialized cells called antigen presenting cells. Antigens can be recognized by two broad categories of cells, T cells and B cells. T cells detect antigens through an antigen receptor called the T cell receptor, but only when these antigens are bound to antigen presenting molecules called MHC molecules. MHC proteins carrying antigens are found on the surface of antigen presenting cells. B cells make antibodies, which also recognize antigens. Once a B cell recognizes antigens through its antigen receptor, the antibody, it makes many many more of the same antibody and secretes , or spits them out, into the body so that they circulate throught the body. Naive B or T cells are cells that have never seen an antigen, and activated cells are those that have. Effector cells are those cells that have seen antigen and can do something about it, like kill that the cell carrying the antigen. Memory cells are cells that retain a memory of their encounter with an antigen, and can react faster and more effectively the next time they see the same antigen. The immune system consists of a few major lymphoid organs: the thymus, where T cells are made; the bone marrow, where all cells originate; the spleen, where many effector cells reside; and the lymph nodes, which are present at multiple sites throughout the body. Immunes cells spend their lives whizzing around between these various organs in various states of activation. A pathogen is any organism that infects a host, they can be bacteria, viruses or parasites.