Nitric oxide is found to control cell death through its occupation of the caspase enzyme, which triggers programmed cell death. This discovery opens doors for potential therapeutic interventions in various diseases, including cancer, liver failure and immune system disorders.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that babies weighing below 5 pounds 13 ounces are more likely to face mortality or disability compared to those weighing less. The study included approximately 127,000 newborns and showed that pre-term infants' risk of adverse outcomes increased with decreased growth.
Logging in tropical forests has sparked a 'deadly second harvest' of wildlife, including gorillas and elephants, with increased access providing markets for bushmeat. The Wildlife Conservation Society estimates that annual bushmeat harvest exceeds one million metric tons.
An international team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder is studying the South Asian summer monsoon, a region that affects 65% of the world's population. The six-week expedition aims to understand the basic physics behind these variations and predict them, enabling drought or flood warnings for affected regions.
A study published in The American Journal of Managed Care found that insurance companies are losing money by requiring prior authorization for all tretinoin prescriptions for patients over 25 years old. In fact, the restrictions can lead to a high administrative cost due to the drug's applications beyond acne treatment.
A two-month research trip to Antarctica led by Temple University biologist Robert W. Sanders aimed to study microorganisms and retrieve samples from the extreme environment. The National Science Foundation funded the work, which will contribute to understanding biology at the limits of life.
New study using GPS satellites tracks ground motions in Midwest seismic zone, revealing little to no motion across the area. The results suggest National Seismic Hazard maps should be revised to reflect lower estimates of earthquake risk, potentially leading to cost savings for new construction.
The discovery of Australopithecus garhi provides crucial information about the evolution of humans, revealing a species that walked on human-like legs and used stone tools to strip meat from bones. The fossils also suggest that this species may have been the immediate predecessor of humans.