Just as Britain adjusts to summer weather and ice cream sales start to rocket, the BMJ editorial team turns its collective mind to Christmas. Any reports, papers, or debates deemed suitable for our Christmas issue should be submitted by the end of August. And to avoid any possible interference with shopping and other seasonal activities, we intend to make a choice of material by the end of September.

Injecting a monoclonal antibody into the bloodstream to clear away amyloid-beta protein from the brain seems to work in experimental mice with an Alzheimer's-like syndrome. But rather than bind to the peptide, the antibody seems to reduce brain deposits by interfering with the balance between the concentration of amyloid-beta in the brain and the blood plasma. The scientists involved suggest that the antibody increases the outflow of amyloid-beta from the brain, rather than reducing its flow into it (www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.151261398).

Fear that inhaled β₂ agonists may improve athletic endurance has lead to restrictions on their use at sporting events. Norwegian researchers put this doping theory to the test in a randomised double blind placebo controlled trial …