Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Reuters NewMedia, Inc. - Friday December 20 1:20 PM EST

What swayed the editors were new drugs and basic research advances in the fight against AIDS, including the discovery that natural molecules in the immune system's defenses, called chemokines, can suppress HIV.

"To enter the cells, the virus must bind to self-surface proteins that normally serve as receptors for chemokines -- and people born with defective receptors are immune to HIV infection," the editors write.

They add that this work "may one day blossom into new treatments or even vaccines."

Turning to the current HIV drug front, the editors point to good results from protease inhibitors that foil the virus's attempts at reproducing itself, thus dramatically reducing HIV levels in the blood when taken with other antiviral compounds, including AZT.

The year 1996 "marks a turning point in the frustrating 15-year battle against the disease," they state, adding that the year's scientific advances "raise the possibility that HIV infection may one day become a chronic, rather than fatal, disease."

The "top ten" list features other scientific advances of 1996 that the editors say "have made the greatest impact on science and society." These include:

-- The "tantalizing" possibility of life on Mars.

-- The rise of on-line publishing, which has revolutionized how scientists gather and share information.

-- Increasing knowledge about prion disease, the protein infective agents suspected of jumping the species barrier -- from a brain disease in cows ("mad cow disease") to a fatal disease affecting humans.

-- Advances in the use of lasers, the workhorses of modern science, soon to become more versatile and economical thanks to new advances.

-- The complete genetic sequencing of yeast, which will help scientists unravel the basic genetic tool-kit for such common functions as cell division in humans and other organisms.

-- The discovery of T-Cell structure. The immune system's most potent cells gave up their last secrets in 1996, which should pave the way to new drugs.

-- How the Earth's inner core is not static, as previously thought, but is in fact spinning faster than the rest of the planet.

-- Discoveries about embryonic positioning, how each cell learns its exact location relative to other cells throughout the body, may lead to better cancer treatments.

-- Apoptosis signaling: 1996 saw gains in our knowledge of the genetic underpinnings of the cell's "death wish."

The journal editors also offered a peek into the areas of research that promise exciting results in 1997. These include cancer research, the search for the fundamental particles of matter, programs that breach computer security codes, synthetic carbohydrates that may lead to new drugs, quantum computers, and high-energy x-rays that will enable scientists to peer more accurately at the processes of life. SOURCE: Science (1996;274:1988-1990)
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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1996. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

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