Ron Perlman on Hellboy, Nicaraguan Cigars, and His Next-Door Neighbor Selma Blair & other: August 2008

Wednesday, 13 August 2008

Increased Coordination Between CMS, IHS Could Improve Quality Of Care For American Indians, GAO Report Finds

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Increased coordination between CMS and the Indian Health Service could improve the quality of health precaution provided to American Indians and Alaska Natives, according to a Government Accountability Office account released on Monday, CQ HealthBeat reports. For the report, GAO examined documents, interviewed government officials and visited some American Indian tribes and facilities funded by IHS to decide the grade of coordination between CMS and IHS. The reputation also examined problems with Medicare and Medicaid enrollment for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

According to the report, CMS could improve communication of policy changes that would affect facilities funded by IHS. The report recommended that CMS inform IHS about insurance policy changes early in the development process to permit time for review of proposed rules before public comment periods end. CMS has begun to better efforts to identify policy changes that would affect facilities funded by IHS, the paper found. In addition, the report launch that some coordination occurs between CMS and IHS, such as an effort by the agency to train faculty at facilities funded by IHS on Medicare and Medicaid issues.

In a argument, Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said, "This report card shows us that thither are noneffervescent hurdles that keep all Americans from getting the best wellness care available, regardless of which agencies help them get it," adding, "We shouldn't have the distance between IHS and CMS get in the way of lineament, affordable wellness care for American Indians and Alaska Natives" (Blair Wyckoff, CQ HealthBeat, 8/11).

The report is available on-line (.pdf).

Reprinted with kind license from hypertext transfer protocol://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, hunting the archives, or preindication up for email rescue at hTTP://www.kaisernetwork.

Wednesday, 6 August 2008

Washington Post, WSJ Examine Reaction To Draft HHS Rule That Could Limit Birth Control Access

�The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post on Thursday examined debate over an HHS rule existence developed by the Bush administration. According to the Journal, a draft of the proposed rule has "ignited rage with a proposed definition of gestation that has the

Fighting The Plague With Pathogens That Mimic The Infection

�Bacteria that cause pulmonic plague potty evade our first-line defences, making it difficult for the consistence to scrap infection. In fact, a signature of the plague is the lack of an inflammatory response. Now, scientists have discovered a way to protect against death following infection with plague bacterium, by victimization molecules that can mimic the pathogens. According to research published in the July issuing of Microbiology, these molecules make antibiotics more effective and canful even be used to protect against other diseases.

The plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, has killed an estimated cc million the great unwashed worldwide. Although treatments have improved, it remains a threat to public health. It can be transmitted from human to human in aerosols and is therefore listed as a Category A bioterrorism agent.

"Yersinia pestis is successful in causing disease in mammals because it can deaden the normal non-specific immune response to infection," said Dr Scott Minnich from the University of Idaho, USA. "We found an intranasal therapy that stimulates the innate immune response and protects against pulmonic plague."

Following infection, lipid A (which is part of the bacterial surface) binds to receptors on our immune cells, triggering an immune response. Yersinia pestilence circumvents this, stopping our cells from taking action. Molecules have been developed that mimic lipid A, eliciting a strong immune response that can prevent death in infected animals. Dr Minnich and his colleagues studied the effect of a nasal spray containing deuce such molecules, CRX-524 and CRX-527, on mice septic with Yersinia pestis.

"Treatment with synthetic modified lipid A molecules privy directly protect animals against pneumonic plague infections," said Dr Minnich. "We also found that stimulating innate immunity exploitation this nasal consonant spray enhanced conventional antibiotic drug therapy. When it is given along with antibiotics, fewer doses and less antibiotic protects against pneumonic plague."

The results of this study intimate that synthetic modified lipid A compounds may provide a new therapeutic cock against plague infection. In a control group that did non receive the treatment, only 23% of mice survived for 3 days. When given the mimic molecules, up to 93% of mice survived for 3 days, 70% for 4 days and 34% cured completely. This highlights the importance of the nonspecific, first-line immune defences during the critical early phase angle of infection. Stimulating this response canful over-ride a microorganism's counter measures to evade or disable the immune response.

Other studies own shown related to therapeutic compounds are as well effective against influenza and Listeria monocytogenes. "This work is still at a very basic animal model testing level with regards to pestis," said Dr Minnich. "What is exciting is that these studies provide perceptivity into bacterial/host interactions in the disease process and promise new strategies to combat a variety of infectious agents.

Source: Lucy Goodchild

Society for General Microbiology

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