Enforcement patrols in the Serengeti National Park have significantly reduced poaching of elephants, African buffaloes and black rhinos. The study used a catch-per-unit-of-effort technique to estimate poaching intensity, finding that increased patrols led to a precipitous decline in poaching and population recovery.
The UK's national teenage pregnancy strategy has led to a steady decline in the number of under-18 conceptions and births, with a drop of about 3.2% between 1998 and 2003. The decline was greater in areas with more targeted resources and in rural and deprived areas.
Researchers have cloned a wild wheat gene that increases protein, zinc, and iron content in grain by 10-15%, potentially addressing nutritional deficiencies affecting millions of children worldwide. The study confirms the gene's effect on matured grains showing higher nutrient levels without sacrificing size or quality.
A recent study estimates that five million women are hospitalized annually in developing countries due to complications from unsafe abortions. The World Health Organization defines unsafe abortion as a procedure lacking proper medical standards or skills.
A study found that England's national teenage pregnancy strategy has been successful in reducing the number of under-18s conceiving and having babies, with a 3.2% drop in conception rates between 1998 and 2003. The decline was more pronounced in areas with targeted resources and lower educational achievement.
Researchers identified WNT and DKK proteins as key regulators of hair follicle spacing, providing experimental confirmation of the Turing hypothesis. The study revealed a reaction-diffusion mechanism controlling the spatial arrangement of hair follicles, shedding light on biological pattern formation.
The World Health Organization's African Regional Health Report is criticized for its lack of facts and reliance on rhetoric. To achieve sustainable health improvements in Africa, effective cooperation between the UN's agencies and multilateral institutions is required.
A randomised trial found that Ancrod was not effective in treating ischaemic stroke when administered within 6 hours of symptom onset. The study highlights the importance of timely treatment in stroke care and suggests that Ancrod may only be beneficial if given within a 3-hour window.
A 250M year-old mass extinction event led to a profound ecological shift in the world's oceans. Simple marine ecosystems were largely displaced by complex ones, reflecting a rise in mobile organisms with higher metabolism. This change has continued ever since, with current human activities potentially reversing this trend.
Researchers confirm protocol to reverse type 1 diabetes in diabetic mice, with adult precursor cells from the spleen contributing to regeneration of beta cells. The study provides new evidence for a potential source of regenerating islet cells and suggests that older mice may be more responsive to this approach.
Researchers have made significant discoveries about the structure of Earth's core-mantle boundary, including a post-perovskite lens and temperature measurements that shed light on heat flow deep within the planet. The findings have implications for understanding the age of Earth's solid inner core and its magnetic field.
Genetically-modified bacteria Clostridium novyi-NT have shown promise in treating cancer by selectively killing tumor cells while sparing normal cells. The combination of bacterial therapy and chemotherapy has demonstrated significant tumor-killing effects, with over two-thirds of mice cured permanently.
Researchers captured an unprecedented view of an underwater volcanic eruption using instruments on the seafloor. The discovery revealed new information about the geological and biological processes at play in deep-sea environments.
Seismologists have directly measured heat flowing from the molten core into a region of the lower mantle for the first time. The new temperature measurements provide insight into the geodynamo and tectonic plate movement, helping scientists understand the Earth's internal dynamics.
Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution successfully anticipated and chronicled a seafloor eruption along the global mid-ocean ridge, providing a rare opportunity to observe what happens in the immediate aftermath of an event. The study has added substantially to our understanding of how mid-ocean ridges work.
A type of carbon from plant waxy material has been accumulating in soils for 11,000 years, challenging current models of the Earth's carbon cycle. This resilient carbon pool is thought to be responsible for long-term carbon storage on land and may play a role in offsetting increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers at Brown University and Columbia's Earth Institute recovered two lost ocean-bottom seismometers, providing unprecedented insights into the process of seafloor spreading. The data from the instruments reveals increasing seismic activity before a major episode of seafloor creation, offering a unique 'ear to earth's belly'.
Six Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor were wrongly accused of deliberately infecting over 400 children with HIV in Libya since 1999. The Lancet calls for their immediate release due to lack of legal basis.
Maya Tolstoy and colleagues were thrilled to discover that two-thirds of their ocean bottom seismometers were trapped in fresh lava flows, giving them a unique opportunity to study the process of seafloor spreading. Preliminary analysis reveals signs of recent volcanic eruptions and suggests that future eruptions may be forecastable.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute have determined the structure of photosystem II, a crucial step in photosynthesis. The discovery reveals the precise arrangement of manganese and oxygen atoms, which could lead to the development of artificial catalysts for regenerative hydrogen production.