**** HEALTH NEWS ****

Study looks at intravenous gene therapy  

PITTSBURGH, -- U.S. scientists say intravenous gene ther-  
apy could be used to protect vital organs and tissues  
from the effects of a radiological or nuclear bomb. "Ion-  
izing radiation can be extremely damaging to cells,  
tissues, organs and organ systems," said Dr. Joel  
Greenberger, a professor and chairman of the department  
of radiation oncology at the University of Pittsburgh  
School of Medicine. "In previous studies, we demonstrated  
gene therapy can be both swallowed in pill form and in-  
haled through a nebulizer prior to radiation exposure to  
protect healthy tissues from damage. "In this study, we  
found the same therapy administered intravenously also  
offers protection during exposure to whole-body irradia-  
tion." Greenberger said such intravenous administration  
could potentially offer wide-reaching protection to the  
public in the event of a terrorist attack since experts  
believe a significant number of the population would die  
within 30 days of receiving a large dose of radiation to  
the entire body. Greenberger and colleagues presented  
their research Tuesday in Philadelphia during the annual  
meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology  
and Oncology.   

Gene therapy used to improve memory  

STANFORD, Calif., -- U.S. neuroscientists say they have  
designed a gene that enhances memory and learning ability  
in animals under stress. Stanford University researchers  
say their experimental technique might lead to new forms  
of gene therapy that can reduce the severe neurological  
side effects of steroids, which are prescribed to millions  
of patients with arthritis, asthma and other illnesses.  
Neuroendocrinologist Professor Robert Sapolsky, co-author  
of the study, and colleagues created a chimera -- an  
experimental strand of DNA made with two genes stitched  
together, in this case a glucocorticoid-receptor gene from  
a rat combined with an estrogen-receptor gene from a human.  
When this new chimeric gene was injected into the hippo-  
campus of a rat, the gene produced new protein receptors  
that quickly converted stress-inducing glucocorticoids  
into beneficial estrogen signals. "They suggest this gene  
therapy not only blocks the deleterious effects of gluco-  
corticoids, but actually enhances spatial memory and  
learning through estrogen-controlled events, even in the  
presence of stress," said Sapolsky. "Seeing this enhance-  
ment effect was pretty exciting. It's the best we could  
have hoped for. The research appears in the current issue  
of the Journal of Neuroscience.   

French scientists build virus from DNA  

VILLEJUIF, France, -- French scientists have used DNA tech-  
nology to reconstruct a virus that infected the primate  
precursors to humans millions of years ago. The scientists,  
at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif, France, said  
they rebuilt the virus from traces that still exist within  
the human genome, The New York Times reported Wednesday.  
Scientists estimate that human endogenous retroviruses make  
up about 8 percent of the human genome. They occur when  
retroviruses insert copies of their DNA into a host cell's  
genome. "Our genome is filled with retroviruses," said  
Thierry Heidmann, an expert on human endogenous retro-  
viruses at the institute. "It's a hard idea to understand,  
but they are part of our genome." The scientists named the  
reconstructed virus "Phoenix," and said they plan to use  
it to investigate the role of human endogenous retroviruses  
in cancer.  

**** Reader's Submissions ****

From Malladi

Fear GodFor several years, John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, doubtedhis own conversion even while he worked tirelessly as a pastor. One day he boarded a ship to cross the Atlantic along with a number of MoravianChristians. En route, they encountered a terrible storm. All hands were on deck as the vessel reeled violently on the dark ocean waves. Water wasrushing in, and the sails were ripping; yet these Moravian families stood peacefully on deck, singing hymns.Wesley, who was clinging, terrified, to the side of the ship, asked, "Aren't you afraid?"One of the men replied, "No, I'm not afraid.""Well," asked a perplexed Wesley, "aren't the women and the childrenafraid?"The man said, "No, we're not afraid to die. Our lives are in God's hands."At that point, Wesley became convicted that he didn't really have faith in God.

There would be fewer divorces if men gave as much loving attention to their wives as they do to their cars, boats, and dogs.