Science
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Inhibition of cyclooxygenase by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the periphery is commonly accepted as the primary mechanism by which these agents produce a selective attenuation of pain (analgesia). NSAIDs are now shown to exert a direct spinal action by blocking the excessive sensitivity to pain (hyperalgesia) induced by the activation of spinal glutamate and substance P receptors. These findings demonstrate that the analgesic effects of NSAIDs can be dissociated from their anti-inflammatory actions. Spinal prostanoids are thus critical for the augmented processing of pain information at the spinal level.
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Figure 2 on page 523 of the Report "Magnetoferritin: In vitro synthesis of a novel magnetic protein" by F. C. Meldrum et al. (24 July, p. 522) was incorrect. The correct figure is printed below. [See figure in the PDF file].
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The story of the renal transplant program of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now the Brigham and Women's Hospital) in Boston weaves together three distinct threads: the study of renal disease, the phenomenon of skin grafting in twins, and the development of surgical procedures ultimately leading to the use of chemical immunosuppression. The common leitmotiv is one of a single event or report proving to be decisive. Unanticipated consequences of successful human organ transplantation include the reorganization of clinical and nonclinical disciplines, national and international cooperation in organ preservation and distribution, tissue-typing as a marker for disease, redefinition of death in terms of brain function, better understanding of disease processes, and new health care quandaries that result from the scarcity of organ donors.