Researchers at Vanderbilt University have discovered that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) rearrange the extracellular matrix into parallel fibers of fibronectin, creating a road for migrating cancer cells to follow. This allows CAFs to exert traction forces on the ECM, enabling cancer cells to move in a single direction.
New research shows ancient millet played a key role in the development of multi-crop agriculture, leading to the rise of settled societies. Millet was carried across Eurasia by shepherds and herders, who combined it with other crops to create 'multi-cropping' systems.
Mexican authorities instituted an emergency ban on gillnetting to save the critically endangered vaquita, with scientists reporting a hopeful model for sustainable fishing coexistence. Researchers also presented studies on declining polar bears and potential methods to reduce bycatch in non-mechanized fisheries.