Nature view

Research highlights from the NPG family of journals.

Advances in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke. In the United States alone, death arising as a complication of atherosclerosis claims the lives of about half-a-million people each year. Nature Medicine has published a special focus on atherosclerosis, featuring a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the field, with newly commissioned reviews and commentaries written by leading experts. All content is available free online until February 2003, including animations and historical perspectives dating back to 1913.

focus
Special focus on atherosclerosis
Nature Medicine
| introduction |

Antibodies, antigens and macrophages

Recent data support the idea that autoantigens are selected by their ability to interact with 'gateway' receptors on immune cells.

opinion
The autoantibody repertoire: searching for order
P. H. PLOTZ
Nature Reviews Immunology 3, 73; January 2003
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CD1 molecules may bind different types of antigen as they traffic through distinct subcompartments of the cell. This trafficking is regulated by CD1-associated adaptor–protein complexes and chaperones.

review
Intracellular pathways of CD1 antigen presentation
D. B. MOODY AND S. A. PORCELLI
Nature Reviews Immunology 3, 11; January 2003
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The activation of macrophages by the T_H2-type cytokines, IL-4 and IL-13.

review
Alternative activation of macrophages
S. GORDON
Nature Reviews Immunology 3, 23; January 2003
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Nanocrystalline alloys are very strong, but tend to fail rapidly during plastic deformation. A new composite alloy with an unusual microstructure achieves high plasticity by controlling the instabilities responsible for earlier failure.

The interactions between conducting polymers and gases in the air are important in chemical sensors, but they may impair the performance of electronic devices.

review article
Conducting polymers in electronic chemical sensors
J. JANATA AND M. JOSOWICZ
Nature Materials 1, 19; January 2003
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Signals inside the cell

Three signalling pathways, which are also upregulated in cancer, have been implicated in the process of converting border cells into migratory cells in the fruitfly.

Uncovering the secrets of the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

timeline
The sarcoplasmic reticulum: its discovery and rediscovery
P. MAZZARELLO, A. CALLIGARO AND V. VANNINI
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 4, 69; January 2003
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