NextGov.com reports that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released "Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices: Managing Threats and Protecting Patients," a four-volume publication containing voluntary cybersecurity practices to healthcare organizations ranging in size from major hospital systems to local clinics. "Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices" is the result of a two-year public-private partnership between HHS and healthcare industry professionals. According to a media release from HHS, more than 150 cybersecurity and healthcare experts took part in the effort, which was mandated through the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. "Cybersecurity is ... the responsibility of every organization working in healthcare and public health," Janet Vogel, HHS Acting Chief Information Security Officer wrote in a statement. "In all of our efforts, we must recognize and leverage the value of partnerships among government and industry stakeholders to tackle the shared problems collaboratively." The guidance is a mixture of common sense practices and highly technical solutions applicable to a broad array of healthcare facilities.

In a study of fruit flies, NIH scientists suggest that the body's immune system may play a critical role in the damage caused by aging brain disorders. The results are based on experiments in which the researchers altered the activity of Cdk5, a gene that preclinical studies have suggested is important for early brain development and may be involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Previously, they found that altering Cdk5 sped up the genetic aging process, causing the flies to die earlier than normal and have problems with walking or flying late in life and greater signs of neurodegenerative brain damage. In this study, they suggested that altering Cdk5 resulted in the death of dopamine releasing neurons, especially in the brains of older flies. Further experiments in flies suggested the neuron loss happened because altering Cdk5 slowed autophagy, which in turn triggered the immune system to attack the animal's own neurons. Genetically restoring the waste system or blocking the immune system's responses prevented the reduction in dopamine neurons caused by altering Cdk5. The researchers concluded this chain reaction in which a breakdown in autophagy triggers a widely destructive immune reaction may occur in the human brain during several neurodegenerative disorders, and that further studies may want to look to these systems for new treatment targets and strategies.

YaleNews has learned that Yale University researchers have identified a drinkable cocktail of designer molecules that interferes with a crucial first step of Alzheimer's and even restores memories in mice. They reported their findings Jan. 2 in the journal Cell Reports . According to the team's research, the binding of amyloid beta peptides to prion proteins triggers a cascade of devastating events in the progression of Alzheimer's — everything from the accumulation of plaques to a destructive immune system response to damage to synapses. Senior author Stephen Strittmatter, director of the Yale Alzheimer Disease Research Center, remarks, "We wanted to find molecules that might have a therapeutic effect on this network." Strittmatter teamed with research scientist Erik Gunther to screen tens of thousands of compounds, searching for molecules that might interfere with the damaging prion protein interaction with amyloid beta. They determined that an old antibiotic looked like a promising candidate. But it was only active after decomposing to form a polymer. Retaining the benefit were related small polymers that also managed to pass through the blood-brain barrier. Strittmatter and Gunther then dissolved the optimized polymeric compound and fed it to mice engineered to have a condition that mimics Alzheimer's. Their findings show that synapses in the brains were repaired and mice recovered lost memory.

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that a comprehensive, coordinated care program for people with dementia and their caregivers significantly reduced the chances that the individuals would enter a nursing community, reports Medical Xpress . The study also shows that the program saved Medicare money and was cost-neutral after accounting for program costs. The research focused on the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program. In the program, people with dementia and their caregivers meet with a nurse practitioner specializing in dementia care for a 90-minute, in-person assessment and then receive a personalized dementia care plan that addresses the medical, mental health, and social needs of both people. The nurse practitioners work collaboratively with the individual's primary care provider and specialist physicians to implement the care plan, including adjustments as needs change over time. A total of 1,083 Medicare beneficiaries with dementia were enrolled in the program and were followed for three years. The authors found that people enrolled in the program lowered their risk of entering a nursing community by roughly 40 percent. Participants in the program saved Medicare $601 per person per quarter, for a total of $2,404 per year. However, after program costs were factored in, the program was cost-neutral and might result in savings in other settings, such as at other healthcare systems, the authors found.

Pharmaceutical companies are ringing in 2019 by raising the price of hundreds of drugs, with Allergan PLC setting the pace with increases of almost 10 percent on more than two dozen products, reports the Wall Street Journal . Many companies' price hikes are fairly modest. However, a few are especially high, including on some generics — the cheaper alternative to branded drugs accounting for nine out of 10 prescriptions filled in the United States. According to an analysis from Rx Savings Solutions, more than three dozen drugmakers raised the prices on hundreds of medicines in the U.S. on Tuesday. The average hike was 6.3 percent, including increases on different doses for the same pharmaceuticals.

A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests people older than 65 who are newly diagnosed with heart failure can drink moderate amounts of alcohol without exacerbating their condition, reports EurekAlert . The researchers found survival for moderate drinkers, averaging seven or fewer drinks per week, was just over 12 months longer than abstainers. The extended survival resulted in an average of 383 days and ranged from 17 to 748 days. The most benefit appears to be derived from drinking 10 drinks a week. The implication is that moderate drinkers can continue to have one serving of alcohol per day if they are women and two if they are men. Due to the lack of a clear cause and effect mechanism, the researchers did not conclude that moderate drinking is actively protective. However, this does not suggest abstainers should start drinking after a heart failure diagnosis.

Missouri Rep. Bill Kidd (R) intends to introduce a bill in 2019 to eliminate property taxes for seniors, reports KTTS . The legislation promises to reduce money for public schools statewide between $75 million and $300 million. Branson School Superintendent Brad Swofford expects educators to oppose the measure. Blair Oaks Schools Superintendent Jim Jones warns the proposal would leave his district with no option but to cut programs. Kidd, though, believes the legislation's impact on school funding would be negligible compared to the financial relief it would bring to senior homeowners.

Last year saw some interesting research into aging well. A study published in Genetics analyzed data from 400 million people and found the genetic influence on longevity is not as pronounced as previously assumed, accounting for no more than 7 percent of how long one will live, reports Deseret News . Lifestyle and environment likely accounts for the other 93 percent. Other research suggested learning a completely new skill can contribute to healthy aging, with many experts recommending ballroom dancing as a hobby to cultivate. Meanwhile, a study of octogenarians in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society determined ingesting sufficient protein leads to better muscle mass, a greater likelihood of activity, and a lower probability of serious disability. Another study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry determined people who experience trauma or depression are more likely to age faster, affecting health and quality of life. Research detailed in Agricultural Research Magazine found exercise like aerobics, strength training, and balance and flexibility can improve quality of life even in people with age-related muscle loss. Finally, research from Ohio State University saw value in social connection as a way to improve memory and slow brain decline.

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found older adults with impaired vision may be at greater risk of falling, reports Physical Therapy Products . The researchers determined falls, fear of falling, and limiting activity were considerably more frequent among visually impaired older adults. About half of survey participants who said they had difficulty seeing were afraid of falling. Most limited their activity as a result. More than 25 percent of older adults with vision problems had recurrent falls in the year before they were polled. Strategies for preventing falls for older adults with impaired vision could limit the harmful consequences of falls. The researchers also noted helping older adults prevent falls could slow declines in well-being, quality of life, and independence associated with a fear of falling. "We need more information about falls and the fear of falling in older adults with vision problems," concluded the University of Michigan's Joshua R. Ehrlich. "This will help us design public health and clinical interventions to address some of the key consequences of vision loss for older adults."

The Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act to create public health infrastructure across the nation for promoting brain health has been signed into law, reports WJHL-TV . BOLD applies a public health approach to lower risk of Alzheimer's, spot early symptoms, advance care, enhance data, and change the course of the disease. Under the administration of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the legislation allocates $20 million annually over the next five years to set up Alzheimer's and related dementias public health centers of excellence, committed to implementing the CDC's Healthy Aging Public Health Road Map and supporting health and social services professionals, families, and communities. BOLD also will establish cooperative agreements with the CDC that will be awarded to state health departments so they can locally promote brain health, lower the risk of cognitive decline, and improve care for people with Alzheimer's. A third priority will be to apportion data grants to improve the analysis and timely reporting of information on Alzheimer's, cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities at state and national levels.