Researchers found a genetic variation that increases collagenase production, potentially facilitating cancer invasion and spread. This discovery offers clues to molecular switches controlling cancer progression and provides tools for detection and treatment.
Researchers discovered the exact cellular site where the leprosy-causing bacterium attacks peripheral nerves. The findings point to a way of treating leprosy in its early stages and have tremendous ramifications for understanding nerve damage in other neurodegenerative diseases like muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.
Australian scientists have discovered key facts about the Hendra disease, a mysterious virus that infects horses, cats, guinea pigs, and fruit bats. Research shows the virus can be transmitted through contaminated food and cat urine, and is often deadly, even if not highly contagious.
Scientists have developed a novel gene therapy treatment that permanently blocks age-related loss of muscle size and strength in mice. The treatment increases muscle strength by up to 27% in older mice, fully restoring their strength to young adulthood.
The NEAR mission will orbit and study asteroid Eros for a year, taking millions of measurements and images to determine its physical and geological properties. The spacecraft will face significant engineering challenges in maneuvering within 9 miles of the asteroid's surface.
A recent USGS study suggests that rivers, particularly the South Platte River in Colorado and Nebraska, are emitting high levels of nitrous oxide (N2O), a catalyst for ozone depletion. The study's findings indicate that N2O emissions from these rivers could be a major human-made source of N2O to the atmosphere.
Eucalyptus trees grown in soil amended with gypsum can thrive in the sticky black soils of the Tulare Lake basin, demonstrating a potential sustainable farming method for the San Joaquin Valley's west side. The sequential reuse system reduces evaporation pond land use by 70% and increases tree plus pond area by 1.9 times.