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Science (11/12/99) Vol. 286, No. 5443, P. 1321; Huang, Lan; Kinnucan,
Elspeth; Wang, Guangli; et al.
The E6AP ubiquitin-protein ligase is important in the processes
by which the human papillomavirus breaks down the p53 tumor
suppressor in cervical cancer. In addition, a flawed version of
the ligase is believed to be involved in the neurological
disorder Angelman syndrome. Scientists probing the crystal
structure of the catalytic hect domain say the E6AP shows a
bilobal structure that has a broad catalytic cleft at the
intersection of the two lobes. Also found in the cleft is
conserved residue that, when mutated, impacts the
ubiquitin-thioester bond formation and marks the location of
Angelman syndrome mutations.
Fox News Online (11/16/99)
South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said
Tuesday that the government would need to spend $47 billion a
year to provide AZT to the country's estimated 4 million HIV and
AIDS patients. Tshabalala-Msimang noted that even if a review by
the Medicines Control Council concludes that AZT is effective,
South Africa could not afford to sponsor an AZT program.
Opposition parties critical of the comments asked the government
to review its policies on AZT. Glaxo-Wellcome, the manufacturer
of AZT, has offered South Africa a 70 percent discount on the
price of the drug.
New York Times (11/17/99) P. A25; Kelley, Tina
A New York State Supreme Court justice has ordered New York City
to comply with its regulation to provide emergency housing for
homeless people with AIDS on the day they request it. While city
law mandates that people with AIDS receive medically appropriate
housing, hundreds of people were forced to live on the streets or
with friends when the city could not provide them with shelter.
The city will appeal Justice Goodman's decision.
New York Times--Giving Supplement (11/17/99) P. E7; Stamler, Bernard
Tim Gill is the openly gay founder of Quark Inc., and he is a
passionate philanthropist who gives up to 40 percent of his
company's $4 million in annual donations to AIDS-related causes.
David Bohnett of GeoCities also has his own foundation, based in
Los Angeles, which helps support gay and lesbian centers and
advocacy. AIDS, however, does not loom as heavily as it once
did. Gay and lesbian charities have shown that they want to move
beyond AIDS and become part of the varied philanthropic
community. The budgets of gay and lesbian charities and social
services now total about $100 million, a huge step since
fundraising for AIDS began years ago. AIDS charities still
receive immense donations, but many groups are seeing a drop in
numbers. Some believe the use of antiviral drugs may be falsely
signaling donors that AIDS research no longer needs funding,
while others cite donor fatigue as a reason for the reduced
donations.
Reuters (11/17/99); Baxter, Barry
Botswana President Festus Mogae told parliament Tuesday that the
AIDS crisis was hurting the country's economy and affecting
attempts at development. With one of the highest rates of HIV
infection worldwide, Botswana needs more funding for AIDS
programs. Mogae noted that the educated and young labor force
was hardest hit by the virus, adding that attitudes toward sex in
Botswana made it difficult to promote AIDS awareness and change
behaviors. He also called for a removal of sexual taboos and a
change in sexual lifestyles and attitudes throughout the nation.
"African Leaders Should Raise AIDS Alarm, Says Uganda President"
CNN Interactive Online (11/16/99)
The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, has called on other
African leaders to follow his lead in attacking AIDS and stopping
the deadly pandemic in Africa. Museveni has helped slow the rate
of new infections in Uganda through his political leadership.
AIDS experts at the Commonwealth Summit, which concluded Monday
in South Africa, showed disappointment that leaders of the
54-nation group listed the fight against AIDS as only the 55th
item near the end of their communique. "What we feel is that
having it in this way is not showing a real commitment by the
heads of government themselves and that is what we want,"
explained Marianne Haslegrave of the Commonwealth Medical
Association.
Reuters Health Information Services (11/16/99)
A recent report in the Annals of Internal Medicine has found that
keeping records of people infected with HIV by name does not help
or hinder treatment, and it does not improve contact
notification. Name-based HIV infection surveillance has been
implemented in 31 states, but it is a controversial topic. Dr.
Dennis Osmond of the University of California at San Francisco
and colleagues studied about 400 AIDS patients who were tested in
five states with name-based HIV surveillance and found no
evidence that name-tracking swayed timely medical care to either
side. The researchers concluded that both the negative and
positive effects of name-based HIV surveillance may have been
overstated by competing advocates.
Reuters Health Information Services (11/16/99)
ChromaVision Medical Systems and the University of California at
Los Angles (UCLA) School of Medicine will collaborate on studies
of a new test designed to detect and quantify the HIV reservoir
in people infected with the virus. UCLA's Dr. Kathie
Grovit-Ferbas will be the primary researcher of the validation
studies involving the Automated Cellular Imaging System (ACIS).
Researchers at UCLA also plan to assess the efficacy of ACIS in
detecting cytomegalovirus.
Itar Wire Service (11/16/99); Bazhenova, Anna
Migrants from Chechnya staying in Ingushetia are dealing with
spreading infectious diseases. Up to 1,344 people are ill,
including 955 children, as the cold weather sets in.
Vaccinations are being offered in three districts of Ingushetia,
with nearly 500 children receiving shots against tuberculosis
(TB) and more than 700 being vaccinated against measles. The
migrants continue to be screened for TB.