Researchers found that angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, contributes to arthritic disease progression. Treatment with an integrin antagonist reduced joint swelling, pannus formation, and cartilage erosion in animal models.
The CIBIS-II trial found that beta-blockers significantly reduced deaths from all causes by 34 percent and sudden deaths by 44 percent among patients with mild or moderate heart failure. The results support the use of beta-blockers in treating stable patients with this condition.
Researchers found that seven-month-old infants can recognize and generalize simple language-like rules, understanding the algebra of combining words into sentences. This discovery has implications for diagnosis and treatment of language disorders in children.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft is preparing for a January 3, 1999, engine burn to rendezvous with asteroid 433 Eros. The spacecraft will increase its speed by 2,100 mph and enter orbit around Eros after catching up with the asteroid in mid-February 2000.
Scientists at Max Planck Institute discover new wetting phenomena on micrometer-scale surfaces with hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. The discovery leads to the formation of 2D wettability patterns that act as templates for 3D liquid morphology, enabling the creation of microbridges for fluid microchips and reactors.
A previously unknown movement protein carries information-bearing RNA from stems and leaves to distant roots and flowers, enabling complex plant communication. This discovery provides insight into the evolutionary processes underlying complex plants and may lead to better defenses against crop diseases.