Scientists Solve another Puzzle about AIDS Virus
Obama’s Proposed 2011 Budget Includes Increases and Flat-funding
Congressional Democrats Signal Slow Down on Health Care Reform
AIDS Organizations and LGBT Community Mourn the Loss of Zelda Rubinstein
AIDS InfoNet Issues New Fact Sheet on HIV in Correctional Settings
Scientists Solve another Puzzle about AIDS Virus
In a report from London on January 31, British and U.S. researchers said that, after 20 years of research, they have grown a crystal that enables them to see the structure of an enzyme called integrase, which is found in retroviruses like HIV and is a target for some of the newest HIV medicines. The study is published in the journal Nature.
When the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects someone, it uses the integrase enzyme to paste a copy of its genetic information into their DNA. Some new drugs for HIV work by blocking integrase, but scientists are not clear exactly how they work or how to improve them. The only way to find out was to obtain high-quality crystals -- a project that had defeated scientists for many years.
"Despite initially painstakingly slow progress and very many failed attempts, we did not give up and our effort was finally rewarded," said Peter Cherepanov of Imperial College London, who conducted the research with scientists from Harvard University.
The researchers grew a crystal using a version of integrase borrowed from another retrovirus very similar to its HIV counterpart. It took more than 40,000 trials for them to come up with a crystal of sufficiently high quality to allow them to see the three-dimensional structure, they said. They tested Merck’s Isentress and Gilead’s experimental drug elvitegravir on the crystals, and were able to see for the first time how the medicines bind to, and block, integrase.
The Imperial and Harvard scientists said that having the integrase structure means researchers can begin to fully understand how integrase inhibitor drugs work, how they might be improved, and how to stop HIV developing resistance to them.
Obama’s Proposed 2011 Budget Includes Increases and Flat-funding
According to a memo sent to all NASTAD (National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors) members on February 1, the President released his detailed $3.8 trillion FY2011 budget proposal. The President’s budget increases the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) budget by $28 million and includes increases for both HIV care and prevention programs. Some of the funding that would be affected is as follows:
Ryan White Program
The President requests $2.305 billion for the Ryan White Program, which is an increase of $39 million over FY2010. The budget provides a $20 million increase for state ADAPs for a total of $855 million and a $10 million increase for the Part B Base for a total of $429 million. Part A and Part D were flat-funded. Part C received an increase of $5 million for a total of $212 million. AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETCs) have an increase of $3 million for a total of $38 million and dental programs have a $2 million increase for a total of $15 million.
HIV/AIDS
The budget provides a $31 million increase for domestic HIV/AIDS prevention programs for a total of $758.5 million. Within the total provided, state and local health department HIV prevention cooperative agreements are funded at $343 million, an increase of $14 million. The proposal cuts the Domestic HIV/AIDS Initiative by $1.6 million for a total of $63.7 million and cuts HIV surveillance by $342,000 for a total of $109.1 million. The amount available for community-based and other organizations is funded at $135 million for an increase of $259,000.
Minority AIDS Initiative
The budget flat funds the HIV/AIDS in Minority Communities Fund, located in the Public Health and Social Services Fund in the Office of the Secretary at $52 million. The budget includes a $7 million increase for a total of $153 million for the MAI under the Ryan White Program.
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
The budget includes a $5 million increase for HOPWA for a total of $340 million.
Congressional Democrats Signal Slow Down on Health Care Reform
On January 27, The Wall Street Journal reported that Democratic leaders in Congress have signaled that they are not under any pressure to complete work on health reform legislation, but that work on the bill is continuing and remains a key item on their agenda. The leaders also acknowledged that they need more time to strategize their next move in the wake of last week's loss of the Senate seat in Massachusetts.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that "a number of options," particularly on the "procedural aspects" are being discussed as leaders try to construct a final bill out of the House and Senate bills.
AIDS Organizations and LGBT Community Mourn the Loss of Zelda Rubinstein
Zelda Rubinstein, who starred in several feature films, including Steven Spielberg’s “Poltergeist,” “Sixteen Candles,” “Anguish,” and “Southland Tales,” and was a regular cast member on the CBS series “Picket Fences,” passed away on January 28 in Los Angeles at the age of 76. She had been hospitalized for the past two months.
In addition to her film work, Ms. Rubinstein is remembered as a fierce, early advocate for the AIDS community. In 1985, she created the character “Mother,” promoting safer sex in print ads and live appearances throughout Los Angeles. She was also heavily involved in the promotion of the world’s first AIDS Walk, which was launched in Los Angeles that same year.
Craig R. Miller, Founder and Producer of AIDS Walk Los Angeles, recalls that “at a time when few celebrities were willing to speak up, Zelda’s participation was nearly as groundbreaking as the first AIDS Walk itself. She helped make the issue one that was not only accepted but embraced by the entertainment industry.”
Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center said, “Zelda not only lent her support to the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center - before it was popular for celebrities to support AIDS and LGBT organizations—she volunteered to star in a groundbreaking HIV prevention campaign for us. The image of her on billboards and posters, saying to a shirtless guy holding an umbrella, ‘don’t forget your rubbers,’ is now iconic. She will be deeply missed.”
AIDS InfoNet Issues New Fact Sheet on HIV in Correctional Settings
According to Bob Munk of AIDS InfoNet, the new Fact Sheet 615 includes updated information on HIV in prisons and jails. Included on the sheet are statistics about the rate of infection; facts about the state of medical care in general; HIV medical care in particular, including testing and prevention; advice to prisoners about how to improve their HIV care; and some observations on what happens when HIV-positive prisoners are released. You can access the fact sheet by going to www.aidsinfonet.org.
The January/February issue of Positively Aware magazine, “HIV in Rural America,” is now available online at www.positivelyaware.com. To order print copies of the magazine or for more information, e-mail distribution@tpan.com, or visit the website and click on “subscribe.”
