A role for Brca1 in chromosome end maintenance.

The role of BRCA1 in breast and ovarian tumor suppression has been primarily ascribed to the maintenance of genome integrity. BRCA1 interacts with components of the non-homologous end-joining pathway previously shown to play a role in telomere maintenance in yeast. Here, we provide evidence that links Brca1 with telomere integrity.

Brca1 required for T cell lineage development but not TCR loci rearrangement.

Brca1 (breast cancerl, early onset) deficiency results in early embryonic lethality. As Brca1 is highly expressed in the T cell lineage, a T cell-specific disruption of Brca1 was generated to assess the role of Brca1 in relation to T lymphocyte development. We found that thymocyte development in Brca1-/- mice was impaired not as a result of V(D)J T cell receptor (TCR) recombination but because thymocytes had increased expression of tumor protein p53.

Partnering with academic institutions to improve population health.

Eager to make the most of local knowledge, hospitals, medical schools and managed care organizations are forming alliances to shape healthcare delivery in their regions. Such collaborations often involve training residents to work within managed care, but others are pursuing disease management and population health improvement.

A new resource: empowered patients.

Patients who have access to healthcare information on the Internet or elsewhere or who have learned to demand interaction with their providers can be intimidating--and also one of a provider's biggest assets. When providers take the time to talk with patients about their conditions, to involve them in decisionmaking and to give them access to information, patients can become active participants in the care process. That shift in roles can reduce inappropriate utilization, cut costs and increase satisfaction.

Health plans, providers struggle with quality in alternative medicine.

Consumer demand is pushing many healthcare providers and payers to offer complementary and alternative therapies, from chiropractic to acupuncture, even in the absence of conclusive evidence of their efficacy. To keep patients safe, and to limit costs, organizations are setting strict limits about the type and amount of alternative therapy they will provide.

Is there a PSO in your future?

A decision to form a provider-sponsored organization and go after the lucrative Medicare market depends on several variables. Chief among them are risk-management and marketing capabilities, strength of the provider network, the potential market and the competition, and availability of appropriate information systems and controls.