Science News for October 13, 1997

Therapeutic Effects Of Garlic Clarified At Weizmann

Researchers studied how garlic works at the molecular level, finding allicin disables dysentery-causing amoebas by blocking enzymes. This discovery supports garlic as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial drug with potential implications for fighting bacterial resistance and preventing heart disease.

SourceAmerican Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science·JournalAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy·DateOct 13, 1997

Wake Forest Scientists Find Way To Short-Circuit Initial HIV Invasion

Scientists at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have found a way to inactivate the CCR5 co-receptor, a doorway for early-stage HIV-1 virus, on the surface of macrophages and lymphocytes. This approach could be used to treat early-stage HIV-infected individuals and potentially prevent infection.

SourceAtrium Health Wake Forest Baptist·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 13, 1997

Evidence For A Radio-Like Mechanism In The Brain Found At The Weizmann Institute

Research at the Weizmann Institute found that the brain uses a frequency modulation (FM) receiver-like mechanism to decode sensory information gathered through touch. This discovery provides a possible new explanation for how the brain processes sensory input, and could lead to advances in understanding the neural code.

SourceAmerican Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 13, 1997