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Connecticut Department Of Public Health Announces 5th Connecticut Resident Dies Due To Novel H1N1 Influenza
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has announced the state"s fifth death linked to infection with the novel H1N1 virus. The person, a Hartford County resident, was in the 50 - 59 year old age group and had underlying medical conditions. The person died recently after hospitalization.
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House Committee Approves Reform Bill; Full House Debate Scheduled For After August Recess
The House Energy and Commerce Committee on July 31 approved its health care reform bill (HR 3200) by a 31-28 vote that was mostly along party lines, the AP/Seattle Times reports. Among the many amendments considered during the markup, the committee rejected an amendment offered by Reps. Joe Pitts (R-Pa) and Bart Stupak (D-MI) to prohibit government subsidies to any insurance plans that offers abortion coverage, effectively prohibiting abortion coverage for customers eligible for public premium assistance. The amendment was rejected by a 27-31 vote. Another provision approved on July 30 would neither require nor prohibit insurance companies from providing coverage for abortion services.The approved bill includes provisions limiting how much insurers can increase premiums and gives the federal government the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices under Medicaid. The provisions were part of an effort by Democrats on the committee to reconcile the demands of liberals and conservatives, the AP/Times reports. The bill also would require insurance companies to sell coverage to anyone seeking it, regardless of pre-existing conditions. The government would provide subsidies to lower-income families to help them afford policies. In addition, the legislation would establish health insurance exchanges offering a variety of insurance plans, where consumers with or without subsidies could purchase health insurance (Espo/Werner, AP/Seattle Times, 8/1).Five of the committee"s Democrats joined all 23 Republicans in opposing the measure, the Washington Post"s "Capitol Briefing" reports. The five Democrats who voted against the bill were Reps. John Barrow (Ga.), Rick Boucher (Va.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Charlie Melancon (La.) and Bart Stupak (Mich.) (Kane, "Capitol Briefing," Washington Post, 7/31).The committee was the last of three House panels to take action on the legislation, although the vote comes several weeks after the White House and Democratic leaders originally wanted, the AP/Times reports. The full House is expected to vote on the bill after policymakers return from their August recess.Although the House"s agenda has moved slower than party leaders had hoped, it still was faster than the action in the Senate, according to the AP/Times (AP/Seattle Times, 8/1). Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on July 30 announced that the panel will not mark up a health care reform bill this week after Republican negotiators urged that the speed of discussion in the Senate be slowed, the Post"s "44" reports. The announcement means that health care reform legislation will not be out of committee in both chambers before the summer recess (Pershing, "44," Washington Post, 7/31).Catholic Bishops Say That House Bill Could Expand Abortion Coverage In related news, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a letter to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee voiced its opposition to the reform bill, arguing that it could be used to require private health insurance plans to cover abortion services, the Post reports. The bill has been opposed by conservative Christian groups for weeks, with the groups arguing that it could be used to expand abortion rights, the Post reports.In the letter, Cardinal Justin Rigali -- chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities -- said the bill could increase federal funding for abortion services because some government funding would not be covered by the Hyde Amendment, which currently bans the use of federal Medicaid funds for abortion services. Rigali also said the bill could overturn state laws that restrict access to abortion services, such as parental notification laws. In addition, Rigali said the bill should continue to ensure provider conscience rights to protect Catholic health care workers who refuse to provide abortion services based on their religious or moral beliefs (Washington Post, 8/1).
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In Pregnancy, Summer Heat Increases Risk Of Amniotic Fluid Level Deficiency, Ben-Gurion University Study Reveals
Pregnant women have a higher incidence of insufficient amniotic fluid levels (oligohydramnios) in the summer months due to dehydration, according to a study conducted by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU).
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The Automation Partnership's First Project To Automate Manufacture Of 3D Tissue Constructs

The Automation Partnership (TAP), a world leader in the design and development of innovative advanced automation for life science applications, announced it is collaborating with world leading academics on the prestigious, Technology Strategy Board funded, RAFT (Rapid Automated Fabrication of Tissues) Project to develop and commercialise novel technology for rapid production of 3D tissues, which have the potential to transform drug discovery and regenerative medicine. The three-year RAFT Project initially aims to manufacture 3D human corneal tissue using corneal limbal stem cells, to determine if this is a viable method of producing a range of different tissue types. Scientists on the RAFT Project at UCL (University College London) will work on demonstrating pre-clinical proof of concept of the efficacy of these tissues for corneal regeneration. Complex 3D tissues can be produced in less than one hour by mixing cells with collagen, casting the gel into a mould then compressing it to give a sheet with properties very like natural tissue. The 3D structure provides cells with a more natural microenvironment; multiple layers with different cell types can be made with surface features that mimic the stem cell niche and support cell growth and differentiation. Since production of the tissues will be automated the size, shape, thickness and cell density can all be controlled - and complex features such as capillary like channels can be engineered into the tissues. This technology allows high quality and consistent manufacturing of tissues for therapeutic use, such as replacement skin; in cell biology by providing 3D collagen matrices for studying cell behaviour or in drug discovery applications including toxicity testing by generating skin, cornea and other models. Dr Rosemary Drake, CSO at TAP stated: "We are delighted to be working with eminent academics to commercialise this unique tissue fabrication process. We have licensed the use of this exciting technology from UCL because we are so confident it could be used to produce a number of different 3D tissue types and are seeking additional partners from pharmaceutical or cell culture companies with whom we can develop cell culture, drug discovery and therapeutic applications where more authentic tissues are required." David Newble, TAP"s CEO, added: "The significant industrial academic collaboration which has begun between TAP and UCL will make transformational science available for rapid, reproducible processing of commercially important tissues and could potentially, have a major impact on the future of drug discovery, development and regenerative medicine." About The Automation Partnership The Automation Partnership (TAP) is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of advanced large-scale automation systems for the life science research industry. TAP specialises in automation for cell culture, biological sample management, compound management and ultra high throughput screening applications. TAP"s systems are installed in the world"s top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; key service providers and leading research institutions including: Amgen, AstraZeneca, ATCC, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Exelixis, Laboratoires Fournier, Loughborough University, GlaxoSmithKline, Max Planck Institute, Merck, MedImmune, Novartis, Oxford University, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi Aventis, Stem Cell Sciences, UK Biobank and Wyeth. TAP, founded in 1988, is a private company with headquarters in Royston near Cambridge, UK and a US sales and support office in Wilmington, Delaware. The Company, which employs over 180 staff, continues to grow by developing market driven automation products from standalone systems to multi-million pound drug discovery facilities. About the Rapid Automated Fabrication of Tissues Project The Rapid Automated Fabrication of Tissues (RAFT) Project is an industrial-academic collaboration in which TAP is the lead industrial partner and includes some of the world"s leading experts from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and the Tissue Repair & Engineering Centre (TREC) at the UCL Institute of Orthopaedics & Musculoskeletal Science. The project which has ÷£1.3 million funding from the UK"s Technology Strategy Board (TSB) aims to develop a commercial method for producing novel, cost-effective 3D tissues. The Automation Partnership


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