Must reads

• A January 15, 2014 The Scientist article reported on what the omnibus spending bill introduced on January 13 means for research funding. According to the article, "The bipartisan bill, which was authored by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R-KY) and Senate counterpart Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), slates $29.934 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $1 billion increase from the agency’s sequester-wracked 2013 budget.But this boost isn’t large enough, according to many in the research community. “The FY14 omnibus spending bill falls short of restoring funding for lifesaving National Institutes of Health (NIH) biomedical research,” said Carrie Wolinetz, president of the biomedical science advocacy group United for Medical Research, in a statement. “The proposed package won’t adequately reverse the damage done by last year’s budget sequester and ensure the nation’s biomedical research enterprise makes continued progress in lifesaving research and development.”"
• A January 14, 2014 New York Times article reported on the cultural complications Asian Americans and other minority groups face when dealing with aging family members. According to the article, "Language barriers and cultural traditions that put a premium on living with and caring for the elderly further complicate the issue at a time when the population of older Asian-Americans is surging. According to the Administration on Aging, an agency of the Health and Human Services Department, the number of Asian, Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders over age 65 is expected to grow to 2.5 million by 2020 and 7.6 million by 2050, from fewer than one million in 2000. Asian-Americans are hardly alone in their desire to care for aging relatives themselves. Many Hispanic families share a similar commitment. But despite those expectations, more Latinos are entering nursing homes, and facilities that specifically serve Latinos are increasingly in demand. Also, finding a home health aide or nursing home supervisor who speaks Spanish is usually easier than finding one who speaks, say, Khmer."
• A January 14, 2014 Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV) editorial applauded the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health's "participation in an Alzheimer’s disease prevention study touted as the largest in the world. In total, the study — named the TOMMOROW trial — is seeking 50,000 volunteers, who will then be whittled down to 6,000 participants spread over the 50 sites." According to the editorial, "The fact that part of this massive study is taking place in Las Vegas is a very important step for the valley and the state of Nevada…Given the population and demographics of this community, there is no reason Clark County can’t attract and execute more medical research projects of similar scale…The valley’s response will decide the success of the Ruvo Center’s segment of the study and perhaps pave the way for more high-profile research projects in the future.