News & Views

A recent paper suggests that supplementing the diet with large amounts of vitamin A may overcome some inherited blindness. But it also raises some serious questions.

The long search for a second HIV receptor, though not over, may be closer to a finish with new studies of CD26 (pages 919–926).

As knowledge about the importance of the p53 protein grows, so do the number of potential options for successful treatment of cancer.

Predicting how proteins fold from their amino acid sequence is largely a matter of guesswork. But the rules may be written into the genetic code (pages 894–901).

The neurological pathways of pain are likely to be more complex — and interesting — than previously suspected (pages 910–913).

Many obstacles to successful gene therapy remain to be overcome. Now one of them may be less imposing (pages 890–893).

The molecular and neural bases for pain have proven elusive, but new studies approach an explanation from different directions (pages 766–773 and pages 774–780).

A mathematical approach to the transmission dynamics of tuberculosis offers a new understanding of past epidemics and suggests future interventions (pages 815–821).

Previous studies that suggested that lens-wearing may affect eye growth are supported now by primate studies, which raises questions about the use of eyeglasses in children (pages 761–765).

Even though diagnosis of prostate cancer can be made earlier than in the past, prognosis is still difficult. The discovery of new metastatic markers should aid in treatment design.

The importahce of preserving biodiversity extends beyond the discovery of new drugs to understanding how other species have dealt with medical problems we currently face.

The introduction of novel genes into mosquitoes and malaria parasites is now feasible, raising hopes for an effective attack on malaria.

As our knowledge of the basis of different cancers grows, so does the arsenal of specific weapons with which to fight the disease (pages 792–797).

Technological miniaturization combined with the power of molecular genetics makes the mouse a model animal for understanding human cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Understanding the genetic defects underlying cystic fibrosis is only half the battle. Identifying the specific bacterium infecting CF patients is just as important (pages 661–666).

The gains made in life expectancy and against infant mortality in low-income nations are being accompanied by increases in mental-health-related problems.

The promising description of a potential basis for gene therapy in treating HIV infection does not mean that traditional approaches should be abandoned (pages 667–673).

The recent descriptions of T-cell dynamics in HIV disease have refocused efforts to understand the normal homeostatic processes that maintain T-cell populations (pages 674–680).

Mutations in tumour suppressors often lead to tumorigenesis. But other genetic mechanisms affecting suppressor gene expression can be just as effective (pages 686–692).

The discovery of dopamine transporter density difference in alcoholics has implications for mechanisms of vulnerability and relapse (pages 654–657).