News & Views

Computer simulations of theoretical models provide a way to elucidate mechanisms underlying neurological disorders and drug actions.

Cyclin D1 may be overexpressed in most breast cancers. Is this a critical early step in breast carcinogenesis (pages 1257–1260)?

Synthesis of the major xenogeneic antigen can be diverted towards production of an innocuous sugar by expression of a glycosyltransferase (pages 1261–1267).

Human and animal research suggests Crohn's disease is a heterogeneous group of disorders and implicates commensal bacteria in genetically determined mucosal T-cell dysregulation.

Cimetidine antagonizes histamine's effects on some cancers and improves survival when given in the perioperative period.

Monitoring blood glucose is a painful ritual for diabetics. Now, however, noninvasive measurement is possible (pages 1198–1201).

The scientific method depends on the thoughtful use of validated statistical methods.

Micrometastases in a murine lung carcinoma model have regressed or been prevented (pages 1179–1183).

It is now possible to quantify tenderness in musculoskeletal disorders by controlling the force of the examiner's palpating fingers.

Internalization of targeted therapeutics is often needed for efficacy, but also alters drug penetration of a tissue. A new model explores the trade-offs of intracellular drug trafficking.

The race isn't always to the swift, but that is no excuse for dragging one's feet (pages 1148–1154).

A tiny fish may provide a big clue to an important cardiovascular malformation (pages 1143–1147).

We now have a number of effective drugs for osteoporosis. However, close inspection of clinical trials results suggests we should aim for even better ones.

Advances in technology are improving the ability of physicians tononinvasively diagnose cardiovascular disease (pages 1086–1089).

A novel ganglioside-bound form of the amyloid β-protein is discovered in Alzheimer's disease (pages 1062–1066), but is it the long-sought initiator of the earliest brain lesions?

A new study suggests that stimulating TGF-β production protects against atherosclerosis (1067–1073). But other studies have shown that TGF-β overproduction can cause tissue fibrosis.

The application of new technologies to ageing brains supports the role of diet in cognitive function.

High salt intake is believed to have adverse effects on blood pressure levels in humans. Now, for the first time, it has been shown to increase blood pressure in chimpanzees (pages 1009–1016).

Non-enzymatic glycation, cellular receptors and oxidant stress together have implications for the pathogenesis of cellular dysfunction in diabetes and beyond (pages 1057–1061).

Control of cancer by gene therapy will require choosing the right genes (1052–1056).