A metareview at the NIH - p351

doi:10.1038/nm0408-351

Science funding in the United States is tight, and the application process is arduous. A recent study of NIH peer-review recommends a major overhaul of the system. Will the changes prove cosmetic or curative?

Abstract - | Full Text - A metareview at the NIH | PDF (84 KB) - A metareview at the NIH

Search for potential autism treatments turns to 'trust hormone' - p353

Alisa Opar

doi:10.1038/nm0408-353

Full Text - Search for potential autism treatments turns to 'trust hormone' | PDF (179 KB) - Search for potential autism treatments turns to 'trust hormone'

After microbicide failures, hope that antiviral approach will gel - p354

T V Padma

doi:10.1038/nm0408-354a

Full Text - After microbicide failures, hope that antiviral approach will gel | PDF (191 KB) - After microbicide failures, hope that antiviral approach will gel

Gates Foundation looks to fund unconventional health solutions - p354

Apoorva Mandavilli

doi:10.1038/nm0408-354b

Full Text - Gates Foundation looks to fund unconventional health solutions | PDF (191 KB) - Gates Foundation looks to fund unconventional health solutions

Gut instincts drive next generation of diabetes medications - p355

Genevive Bjorn

doi:10.1038/nm0408-355

Full Text - Gut instincts drive next generation of diabetes medications | PDF (147 KB) - Gut instincts drive next generation of diabetes medications

News in brief - pp356 - 357

doi:10.1038/nm0408-356

Timeline of events...a brief look at the headlines from the past month

Abstract - | Full Text - News in brief | PDF (344 KB) - News in brief

Immune to the high - pp358 - 361

Emma Marris

doi:10.1038/nm0408-358

Current medications used to treat drug addiction help to some extent by easing withdrawal symptoms, but these treatments cannot curb the high that people receive when they relapse and take a hit of the drug. Emma Marris explores how researchers are working on a way to make these tempting drug highs history for recovering addicts.

Abstract - | Full Text - Immune to the high | PDF (1,029 KB) - Immune to the high

Q & A: Samir Khleif - p362

Charlotte Schubert

doi:10.1038/nm0408-362

In 1999, Hussein bin Talal, the king of Jordan, died after a long battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Since then, his eldest son and successor, King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, has sought to improve cancer treatment in his country as part of an effort to boost healthcare and technological development. The country's capital, Amman, now boasts a world-class cancer treatment center, which draws patients from throughout the region. To lead that effort, the king tapped Samir Khleif, chief of the cancer vaccine section at the US National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. Khleif, who received his medical degree in Jordan, now has an even bigger mandate from the king: to build an internationally renowned institute devoted to cancer research and biotechnology. Construction on The King Hussein Institute for Cancer and Biotechnology is scheduled to begin on the outskirts of Amman this month, with an expected completion in 2010.

Abstract - | Full Text - Q & A: Samir Khleif | PDF (200 KB) - Q & A: Samir Khleif

A history of malaria - p363

Brian Greenwood reviews The Making of a Tropical Disease: A Short History of Malaria by Randall M Packard

doi:10.1038/nm0408-363

Full Text - A history of malaria | PDF (88 KB) - A history of malaria

New drugs for an ancient parasite - pp365 - 367

Alex Loukas & Jeffrey M Bethony

doi:10.1038/nm0408-365

Only one drug is widely used to treat schistosomiasis, a chronic, neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic blood flukes. Fears of potential drug resistance have accelerated the search for new classes of antischistosome drugs. A promising candidate has now emerged (pages 407–412).

Abstract - | Full Text - New drugs for an ancient parasite | PDF (495 KB) - New drugs for an ancient parasite

See also: Article by Sayed et al.

Dropping acid to help cystic fibrosis - pp367 - 369

Gerald B Pier

doi:10.1038/nm0408-367

Vesicular accumulation of the membrane component ceramide may underlie key aspects of lung pathology in cystic fibrosis (pages 382–391).

Abstract - | Full Text - Dropping acid to help cystic fibrosis | PDF (325 KB) - Dropping acid to help cystic fibrosis

See also: Article by Teichgräber et al.

Getting personal about treating HIV - pp369 - 370

James D Neaton & H Clifford Lane

doi:10.1038/nm0408-369

Genetic variants have been identified that may predict the response to HIV treatment (pages 413–420).

Abstract - | Full Text - Getting personal about treating HIV | PDF (125 KB) - Getting personal about treating HIV

See also: Article by Ahuja et al.

Bacteria fight back against Toll-like receptors - pp370 - 372

Luke A J O'Neill

doi:10.1038/nm0408-370

A strain of Escherichia coli that causes urinary tract infections seems to take hold in the body by interfering with signaling through Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The mechanism involves a secreted bacterial protein that is taken up by cells and clogs up the TLR signaling mechanism (pages 399–406).

Abstract - | Full Text - Bacteria fight back against Toll-like receptors | PDF (565 KB) - Bacteria fight back against Toll-like receptors

See also: Article by Cirl et al.

Robo4 counteracts VEGF signaling - pp372 - 373

Lisette M Acevedo, Sara M Weis & David A Cheresh

doi:10.1038/nm0408-372

Robo4 expression in emerging blood vessels can neutralize signaling through the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and maintain vessel integrity. The findings could lead to new therapeutic targets for angiogenesis and vascular leakage (pages 448–453).

Abstract - | Full Text - Robo4 counteracts VEGF signaling | PDF (213 KB) - Robo4 counteracts VEGF signaling

See also: Letter by Jones et al.

Cancer's source in the peripheral nervous system - pp373 - 375

Peter B Dirks

doi:10.1038/nm0408-373

Two studies examine the cellular origins of peripheral nervous system tumors in mouse models of neurofibromatosis type 1 and conclude that stem cells may not be the culprits. Instead, more differentiated cells may give rise to and drive the tumors.

Abstract - | Full Text - Cancer's source in the peripheral nervous system | PDF (595 KB) - Cancer's source in the peripheral nervous system

Research highlights - pp376 - 377

doi:10.1038/nm0408-376

Full Text - Research highlights | PDF (224 KB) - Research highlights

Therapeutic cloning in individual parkinsonian mice - pp379 - 381

Viviane Tabar, Mark Tomishima, Georgia Panagiotakos, Sayaka Wakayama, Jayanthi Menon, Bill Chan, Eiji Mizutani, George Al-Shamy, Hiroshi Ohta, Teruhiko Wakayama & Lorenz Studer

doi:10.1038/nm1732

Abstract - | Full Text - Therapeutic cloning in individual parkinsonian mice | PDF (198 KB) - Therapeutic cloning in individual parkinsonian mice | Supplementary information

Ceramide accumulation mediates inflammation, cell death and infection susceptibility in cystic fibrosis - pp382 - 391

Volker Teichgräber, Martina Ulrich, Nicole Endlich, Joachim Riethmüller, Barbara Wilker, Cheyla Conceição De Oliveira–Munding, Anna M van Heeckeren, Mark L Barr, Gabriele von Kürthy, Kurt W Schmid, Michael Weller, Burkhard Tümmler, Florian Lang, Heike Grassme, Gerd Döring & Erich Gulbins

doi:10.1038/nm1748

Abstract - | Full Text - Ceramide accumulation mediates inflammation, cell death and infection susceptibility in cystic fibrosis | PDF (649 KB) - Ceramide accumulation mediates inflammation, cell death and infection susceptibility in cystic fibrosis | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Pier

Neurotensin increases mortality and mast cells reduce neurotensin levels in a mouse model of sepsis - pp392 - 398

Adrian M Piliponsky, Ching-Cheng Chen, Toshihiko Nishimura, Martin Metz, Eon J Rios, Paul R Dobner, Etsuko Wada, Keiji Wada, Sherma Zacharias, Uma M Mohanasundaram, James D Faix, Magnus Abrink, Gunnar Pejler, Ronald G Pearl, Mindy Tsai & Stephen J Galli

doi:10.1038/nm1738

Abstract - | Full Text - Neurotensin increases mortality and mast cells reduce neurotensin levels in a mouse model of sepsis | PDF (293 KB) - Neurotensin increases mortality and mast cells reduce neurotensin levels in a mouse model of sepsis | Supplementary information

Subversion of Toll-like receptor signaling by a unique family of bacterial Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain–containing proteins - pp399 - 406

Christine Cirl, Andreas Wieser, Manisha Yadav, Susanne Duerr, Sören Schubert, Hans Fischer, Dominik Stappert, Nina Wantia, Nuria Rodriguez, Hermann Wagner, Catharina Svanborg & Thomas Miethke

doi:10.1038/nm1734

Abstract - | Full Text - Subversion of Toll-like receptor signaling by a unique family of bacterial Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain–containing proteins | PDF (431 KB) - Subversion of Toll-like receptor signaling by a unique family of bacterial Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain–containing proteins | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by O'Neill

Identification of oxadiazoles as new drug leads for the control of schistosomiasis - pp407 - 412

Ahmed A Sayed, Anton Simeonov, Craig J Thomas, James Inglese, Christopher P Austin & David L Williams

doi:10.1038/nm1737

Abstract - | Full Text - Identification of oxadiazoles as new drug leads for the control of schistosomiasis | PDF (302 KB) - Identification of oxadiazoles as new drug leads for the control of schistosomiasis | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Loukas & Bethony

CCL3L1-CCR5 genotype influences durability of immune recovery during antiretroviral therapy of HIV-1–infected individuals - pp413 - 420

Sunil K Ahuja, Hemant Kulkarni, Gabriel Catano, Brian K Agan, Jose F Camargo, Weijing He, Robert J O'Connell, Vincent C Marconi, Judith Delmar, Joseph Eron, Robert A Clark, Simon Frost, Jeffrey Martin, Seema S Ahuja, Steven G Deeks, Susan Little, Douglas Richman, Frederick M Hecht & Matthew J Dolan

doi:10.1038/nm1741

Abstract - | Full Text - CCL3L1-CCR5 genotype influences durability of immune recovery during antiretroviral therapy of HIV-1–infected individuals | PDF (3,607 KB) - CCL3L1-CCR5 genotype influences durability of immune recovery during antiretroviral therapy of HIV-1–infected individuals | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Neaton & Lane

Simian immunodeficiency virus–induced mucosal interleukin-17 deficiency promotes Salmonella dissemination from the gut - pp421 - 428

Manuela Raffatellu, Renato L Santos, David E Verhoeven, Michael D George, R Paul Wilson, Sebastian E Winter, Ivan Godinez, Sumathi Sankaran, Tatiane A Paixao, Melita A Gordon, Jay K Kolls, Satya Dandekar & Andreas J Bäumler

doi:10.1038/nm1743

Abstract - | Full Text - Simian immunodeficiency virus–induced mucosal interleukin-17 deficiency promotes Salmonella dissemination from the gut | PDF (287 KB) - Simian immunodeficiency virus–induced mucosal interleukin-17 deficiency promotes Salmonella dissemination from the gut | Supplementary information

Cell-free HTLV-1 infects dendritic cells leading to transmission and transformation of CD4⁺ T cells - pp429 - 436

Kathryn S Jones, Cari Petrow-Sadowski, Ying K Huang, Daniel C Bertolette & Francis W Ruscetti

doi:10.1038/nm1745

Abstract - | Full Text - Cell-free HTLV-1 infects dendritic cells leading to transmission and transformation of CD4+ T cells | PDF (745 KB) - Cell-free HTLV-1 infects dendritic cells leading to transmission and transformation of CD4+ T cells | Supplementary information

Interferon- is a therapeutic target molecule for prevention of postoperative adhesion formation - pp437 - 441

Hisashi Kosaka, Tomohiro Yoshimoto, Takayuki Yoshimoto, Jiro Fujimoto & Kenji Nakanishi

doi:10.1038/nm1733

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Interferon- is a therapeutic target molecule for prevention of postoperative adhesion formation | PDF (359 KB) - Interferon- is a therapeutic target molecule for prevention of postoperative adhesion formation | Supplementary information

Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of mitochondrial-dependent necrosis attenuates muscular dystrophy - pp442 - 447

Douglas P Millay, Michelle A Sargent, Hanna Osinska, Christopher P Baines, Elisabeth R Barton, Grégoire Vuagniaux, H Lee Sweeney, Jeffrey Robbins & Jeffery D Molkentin

doi:10.1038/nm1736

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of mitochondrial-dependent necrosis attenuates muscular dystrophy | PDF (410 KB) - Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of mitochondrial-dependent necrosis attenuates muscular dystrophy | Supplementary information

Robo4 stabilizes the vascular network by inhibiting pathologic angiogenesis and endothelial hyperpermeability - pp448 - 453

Christopher A Jones, Nyall R London, Haoyu Chen, Kye Won Park, Dominique Sauvaget, Rebecca A Stockton, Joshua D Wythe, Wonhee Suh, Frederic Larrieu-Lahargue, Yoh-suke Mukouyama, Per Lindblom, Pankaj Seth, Antonio Frias, Naoyuki Nishiya, Mark H Ginsberg, Holger Gerhardt, Kang Zhang & Dean Y Li

doi:10.1038/nm1742

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Robo4 stabilizes the vascular network by inhibiting pathologic angiogenesis and endothelial hyperpermeability | PDF (662 KB) - Robo4 stabilizes the vascular network by inhibiting pathologic angiogenesis and endothelial hyperpermeability | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Acevedo et al.

Detection of colonic dysplasia in vivo using a targeted heptapeptide and confocal microendoscopy - pp454 - 458

Pei-Lin Hsiung, Jonathan Hardy, Shai Friedland, Roy Soetikno, Christine B Du, Amy P Wu, Peyman Sahbaie, James M Crawford, Anson W Lowe, Christopher H Contag & Thomas D Wang

doi:10.1038/nm1692

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Detection of colonic dysplasia in vivo using a targeted heptapeptide and confocal microendoscopy | PDF (438 KB) - Detection of colonic dysplasia in vivo using a targeted heptapeptide and confocal microendoscopy | Supplementary information

Simultaneous PET-MRI: a new approach for functional and morphological imaging - pp459 - 465

Martin S Judenhofer, Hans F Wehrl, Danny F Newport, Ciprian Catana, Stefan B Siegel, Markus Becker, Axel Thielscher, Manfred Kneilling, Matthias P Lichy, Martin Eichner, Karin Klingel, Gerald Reischl, Stefan Widmaier, Martin Röcken, Robert E Nutt, Hans-Jürgen Machulla, Kamil Uludag, Simon R Cherry, Claus D Claussen & Bernd J Pichler

doi:10.1038/nm1700

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Simultaneous PET-MRI: a new approach for functional and morphological imaging | PDF (461 KB) - Simultaneous PET-MRI: a new approach for functional and morphological imaging | Supplementary information