Few among us appreciate being called cheap, yet this term has a useful application in bird world. A new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research, “Factors Influencing Nestling Sex Ratios of Suburban and Rural Red-Shouldered Hawks, 2004-2016,” finds that male Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) are the cheaper of the sexes, meaning hawk parents prioritize producing female offspring when conditions are optimal. This means that higher quality territories could result in more females, offering biologists clues about habitat health, which is important intel as the species adapts to urban environments with increasing frequency. 

Excessive bite force does not cause alveolar bone loss but significantly worsens it when combined with periodontitis, report researchers in a new study. While traumatic occlusion has long been suspected to exacerbate periodontitis, the molecular mechanisms behind this link were poorly understood. Now, using mouse models of both conditions separately and combined, the researchers conducted comprehensive gene expression analysis across multiple periodontal tissues, identifying key inflammatory pathways upregulated in bone when both conditions were present.

Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) are disorders associated with dysfunctional lipid metabolism and obesity.  In a recent study, researchers have reviewed and compared the definition, causes, diagnostic methods, and emerging treatments of MASLD and IPFD that could help improve patients’ outcomes. In addition, they shed light on recent advances in artificial intelligence applications and presented personalized therapy integrated with the liver‐pancreas axis, providing novel insights for disease management.