Correspondence |
Featured
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Outlook |
Slowing the decline
The search is on for disease-modifying treatments for Parkinson's disease, but, as Ruth Williams discovers, developing a compound is only part of the problem.
- Ruth Williams
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Outlook |
Levodopa: the story so far
Alison Abbott explores the history of the first treatment for Parkinson's disease since its dramatic debut in the swinging sixties.
- Alison Abbott
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Outlook |
Biomarkers: casting the net wide
To have any hope of affecting the course of Parkinson's disease, early diagnosis is essential. Rachel Jones assesses progress so far.
- Rachel Jones
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Outlook |
Treatment frontiers
Cell replacement, gene therapy, and electrical and optical stimulation for the brain — Kerri Smith looks to the future of Parkinson's disease therapies.
- Kerri Smith
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News |
Key Alzheimer's findings questioned
Conflicting results cloud link to prion protein.
- Heidi Ledford
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News |
Drug flexes muscle against cancer
Decoy protein helps to fight cancer in mice by stopping muscle breakdown.
- Alla Katsnelson
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Editorial |
After the pandemic
Despite some mistakes, the World Health Organization handled the flu outbreak well.
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Careers and Recruitment |
Weighing the options
Comparative-effectiveness research answers questions that could transform medical policy and practice. Tamar Nordenberg examines the opportunities for researchers to find both funding and fulfilment.
- Tamar Nordenberg
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News Feature |
Physiology: The bones of contention
The skeleton may provide more than just structural support. Alla Katsnelson investigates the rise of bone as a metabolic regulator.
- Alla Katsnelson
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News |
High price to pay for misconduct investigations
A single investigation into research malpractice cost US$525,000.
- Eugenie Samuel Reich
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Editorial |
Standard issue
The industry behind direct-to-consumer gene tests needs to establish guidelines for its wares.
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Regions |
Jeffrey Koplan
Jeffrey Koplan, vice-president for global health at Emory University and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), both in Atlanta, discusses Georgia's life-sciences and public-health sectors.
- Karen Kaplan
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Regions |
Georgia by the numbers
Georgia looks to capitalize on its public-health and bioscience strengths.
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Research Highlights |
Ageing: Delayed damage
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Research Highlights |
Genetics: Where pain lives
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Opinion |
Which way for genetic-test regulation? Leave test interpretation to specialists
Although largely unregulated, genetic tests are increasingly used to diagnose conditions, map ancestry or predict disease risk. In this, the first of two related pieces, Arthur L. Beaudet advocates the US Food and Drug Administration banning direct-to-consumer medical tests but leaving the analysis of clinical diagnostics to specialists. In the second, Gail Javitt argues that the agency should implement a regulatory framework for all health-related tests.
- Arthur L. Beaudet
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Opinion |
Which way for genetic-test regulation? Assign regulation appropriate to the level of risk
Although largely unregulated, genetic tests are increasingly used to diagnose conditions, map ancestry or predict disease risk. In this, the second of two related pieces, Gail Javitt argues that the US Food and Drug Administration should implement a regulatory framework for all health-related tests. In the first, Arthur L. Beaudet advocates the agency banning direct-to-consumer medical tests but leaving the analysis of clinical diagnostics to specialists.
- Gail Javitt
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News |
Demand for malaria drug soars
Farmers and scientists struggle to keep up with needs of ambitious medicine-subsidy programme.
- Richard Van Noorden
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Research Highlights |
Public health: HIV blocker
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News & Views |
An eye to treating blindness
Work on stem cells is one of the hottest research areas in biology. But are such studies of any therapeutic value? Fortunately, yes, as is evident from successes in treating blindness.
- Elena Ezhkova
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News |
Forensic science braces for change
FBI laboratory chief is optimistic despite severe criticism and challenges ahead.
- Laura Spinney
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News |
Brain-imaging programme suspended after violations
FDA investigation at Columbia University serves as warning to other centres, say experts.
- Brendan Borrell
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Article |
Anti-diabetic drugs inhibit obesity-linked phosphorylation of PPARγ by Cdk5
PPARγ ligands are used to control diabetes, but their anti-diabetic actions are puzzling. Here the authors show that phosphorylation of PPARγ by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in mice is linked to obesity induced by high-fat feeding, and that inhibition of the effect in humans by the drug rosiglitazone is closely associated with its anti-diabetic effects. Several anti-diabetic PPARγ ligands directly inhibit the effect, and thus support a more normal non-diabetic pattern of gene expression.
- Jang Hyun Choi
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- & Bruce M. Spiegelman
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Editorial |
Effective approach
The controversy surrounding diabetes drugs highlights the importance of comparative studies.
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News & Views |
New life for antidiabetic drugs
Antidiabetic drugs that activate the protein PPARγ had a bright start but soon lost their appeal because of undesirable side effects. Subtle modifications may once again make them suitable for treating diabetes.
- Riekelt H. Houtkooper
- & Johan Auwerx
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News |
Diabetes drugs offered fresh start
As FDA advisers vote for restrictions on Avandia, researchers reveal a way to make such drugs safer.
- Heidi Ledford
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News |
Success at last for anti-HIV gel
Vaginal gel cuts HIV infection in women by half.
- Rebecca Trager
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News |
A speech screen for autism?
Automated analysis of audio recordings could accelerate language research.
- Janelle Weaver
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Correspondence |
Questioning the timeline of H1N1 flu vaccination contracts
- Deborah Cohen
- & Philip Carter
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Correspondence |
Gender agenda: positive steps taken in Germany
- Hajo Zeeb
- , Jacob Spallek
- & Ingeborg Jahn
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Outlook |
Forgotten lessons
For many people in the developed world HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was. Paroma Basu explores the consequences of complacency.
- Paroma Basu
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Outlook |
Joining forces
No single strategy alone is likely to thwart HIV's spread. Researchers are turning to 'prevention packages' of two or more approaches, Cassandra Willyard reports.
- Cassandra Willyard
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Outlook |
Fighting the monster
Co-infection with HIV and tuberculosis is a potent combination. Amy Maxmen investigates the impact of this deadly duo.
- Amy Maxmen
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Outlook |
On high alert
HIV keeps the immune system in a hyperactive state, gradually leading to its ruin, reports Emma Marris.
- Emma Marris
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Outlook |
Developing solutions
There is more to combating HIV in the developing world than providing affordable drugs. T. V. Padma looks at the innovative new strategies being employed.
- T. V. Padma
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Outlook |
Grassroots initiatives
A Cambodian group has developed a pioneering community-based approach to HIV and TB care and research. Amy Maxmen describes how this powerful model is being expanded to other war-torn countries.
- Amy Maxmen
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Outlook |
Learning from the elite
Researchers hope to unlock the secrets of the select few who rein in, or even resist, HIV infection, says Bijal Trivedi.
- Bijal Trivedi
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Outlook |
A call for collaboration
Specialization has its place, but truly innovative advances in HIV research usually come from interdisciplinary efforts, reports Unmesh Kher.
- Unmesh Kher
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Outlook |
The outlook for a cure
There is a formidable arsenal of drugs available to treat HIV. Virginia Hughes finds that, for the first time in years, there is also renewed hope of a cure.
- Virginia Hughes
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Books & Arts |
Who controls malaria control?
Awa-Marie Coll-Seck enjoys a hard-hitting history of malaria, but takes issue with its contention that current eradication strategies are repeating the errors of the past.
- Awa-Marie Coll-Seck
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Editorial |
Order from chaos
Much tighter regulations are needed to reap the full benefits of stem-cell treatments.
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Research Highlights |
Cancer genomics: Prognostic sign