NIH Research Matters for January 23, 2012 – Lubricating metal hip implants, the cause of a rare immune disease, and new insights into an old anti-fungal drug

The January 23, 2012, NIH Research Matters is now available. In this week’s edition: Body Produces “Industrial” Lubricant for Metal Hip Implants Once inside the body, metal-on-metal hip implants develop a lubricating layer that’s more like an industrial lubricant than joint fluid. The new finding may help researchers design longer-lasting implants. Researchers Find Cause of Rare Immune Disease NIH scientists identified a genetic mutation that causes cold temperatures to trigger allergic reactions — a condition called cold urticaria. The research points the way toward a potential cure and sheds light on how the immune system function. New Insights Into Old Anti-Fungal Drug For more than 50 years, doctors have used the drug Amphotericin B to treat systemic fungal infections. A new study reveals a novel mode of action for the drug. The finding may lead to improved anti-fungal medications. Editor’s Picks from past issues: Research Matters 2011 Recap Gene Therapy Helps Patients with Hemophilia Less Medication Effective for Wheezing Preschoolers Antibodies Protect Against HIV in Mice Wood Cooking Stoves Combat Pneumonia NIH Research Matters is on Facebook! Join us at www.facebook.com/ResearchMatters, and write on our wall. NIH Research Matters is also available as an RSS News Feed. Point your RSS reader to http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/feed.xml (to learn more about RSS, visit http://www.nih.gov/news/rss.htm).

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