search Institute, Cleveland, OH; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, VA; Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI; Medicine, University of Pittsb...

search Institute, Cleveland, OH; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, VA; Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI; Medicine, University of Pittsb...

In this issue of Cell, Panatier et al. (2006) show that D-serine released by astrocytes, a type of glial cell in the brain, promotes NMDA receptor activity at synapses in the hypothalamus. These results confirm that glial cells participate in synaptic signaling and show that they can dictate the tenor of synaptic plasticity.

The Brass project aims to deliver software virtual musical instruments (trumpet, trombone, tenor saxophone) based on physical modelling. This requires to work on some aspects of the playability of the models so that they can be played in real time through a simple keyboard : better control of the attacks, automatic tuning, humanization.

Fractures of the an tenor nasal spine are very rare. A case is reported where a fracture involving the anterior nasal spine was the only significant sequela of a traumatic injury to the face. Appropriate methods of diagnosing such a fracture are discussed.