Eurekalert

When neuroscientists at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria analyzed the exact properties of nerve connections in the brain, they made a startling observation: At a key connection, or synapse, messages are sent against the usual stream of information. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, reports that the signal glutamate likely plays a role in this unusual transmission.

In the insect world, there are rare instances of ants shrugging off their societal duties to become free-loading parasites amongst their free-living relatives. Now, in a new study, an international collaboration of researchers teamed up to discover and collect these rare ant social parasites. Together, for the first time, they have obtained and analyzed the full DNA genome sequences of three rare "social parasite" leaf-cutting ant species (called Acromyrmex inquilines) to better understand the differences between them and their respective host species.

For decades, researchers have theorized that optical rectennas could sit on everything from bakery ovens to dirigibles flying high above Earth to harvest waste heat and turn it into electricity. But to date, those goals have remained elusive. Now, engineers have unveiled the most efficient optical rectennas yet.

A new study published in Nature Communications provides an important new way to compare the effectiveness of tuberculosis treatments. Their new measure, the rRNA synthesis (RS) Ratio can enable more intelligent design and evaluation of candidate drug combination regimens, accelerating the development of treatments that can cure tuberculosis faster. This has crucial implications for combatting the global tuberculosis epidemic.

A new coronavirus test can get accurate results from a saliva sample in less than 30 minutes, researchers report in the journal Nature Communications. Many of the components of the hand-held device used in this technology can be 3D-printed, and the test can detect as little as one viral particle per 1-microliter drop of fluid.

Optimistic predictions expect reliable autonomous vehicles to be commercially available by 2030, at a time when mobility is undergoing a profound shift away from traditional modes of transportation and towards door-to-door services.

The ISCHEMIA trial found no significant difference between an invasive vs. a conservative strategy in patients with chronic coronary syndromes and moderate to severe ischemia at a mean of 3.2 years. However, the cumulative difference in the estimates of cardiac death between the invasive and conservative strategies tended to increase numerically over time (e.g., 0.3% in favor of the invasive strategy at 2 years and 1.3% at 5 years)...

Results of the interim analyses performed after 12 months in the first 111 patients enrolled in phase II Cool AMI trial evaluating safety and effectiveness of systemic therapeutic hypothermia as an adjunctive therapy in anterior STEMI undergoing PCI as compared to PCI only. Analyses showed significant differences among treatment groups, including longer randomization-to-balloon time and total ischemic time in treatment arm, justifying premature trial discontinuation.

The European Bifurcation Club Left Main (EBC MAIN) trial addressed the issue of provisional single stent versus upfront double stenting in 467 patients with true bifurcation distal left main disease. So far, only one other randomized trial, DKCRUSH-V (n=482), has addressed the same research question, showing better outcomes with an upfront two-stent strategy, more specifically the double-kissing crush (DK CRUSH) technique...

Previous clinical trials suggested that ultra-thin strut biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) may be associated with lower target lesion failure (TLF) when compared to durable polymer everolimus-eluting stents (DP-EES). However, the possible underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, the all-comers CASTLE study was designed to assess the role of imaging-guided percutaneous cardiac intervention (PCI) in the clinical outcomes difference between BP-SES vs DP-EES.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) offers an effective, less invasive therapeutic alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis. Although TAVI is demonstrated to be superior to medical therapy or surgery in patients who are at prohibitive or high risk for aortic valve surgery, less is known about TAVI in patients who are at low risk for complications or death from surgery...

Researchers have developed a tool to help governments and other organizations with limited budgets spend money on building repairs more wisely.

Imagine an entire twenty storey concrete building which can store energy like a giant battery. Thanks to unique research from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, such a vision could someday be a reality. Researchers from the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering recently published an article outlining a new concept for rechargeable batteries - made of cement.

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba found that levels of interleukin 1β, a protein that mediates the inflammatory response, are lower in aggressive mice in the dorsal raphe nucleus, a brain region that is important in aggressive behaviors. Higher interleukin 1β may cause lower levels of aggression via its effects on serotonin neurons. These findings might lead to new drug targets for aggression, which is common in many neuropsychiatric diseases and lacks effective treatments.

Using the intensity of local women's liberation movements as an instrument for gender roles, we find consistent evidence that the more traditional the gender roles in a community, the lower the employment rates and earnings of women in that community

A team including Northwestern University astrophysicists has developed the most realistic, highest-resolution 3D simulation of star formation to date. Called STARFORGE (Star Formation in Gaseous Environments), the computational framework is the first to simulate an entire gas cloud -- 100 times more massive than previously possible and full of vibrant colors -- where stars are born.

The research teams at the University of Hong Kong led by Professor Xuechen LI from the Research Division for Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, and Professor Yu WANG from the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, reported a synthetic biotherapeutics with promising anti-tumour, insulin sensitising and hepatoprotective activities in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University researchers say "topographic templates" can help forest conservation managers develop strategies for protecting and restoring the most fire-resistant parts of vulnerable forests across a range of ecosystems.

UC San Diego researchers report that medications commonly prescribed to reduce the severity of physical and mental health symptoms associated with schizophrenia may have a cumulative effect of worsening cognitive function in patients.

Research shows that a lack of insurance leads to worse cancer outcomes for patients 60-64 compared to Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-69. This work highlights the fact that many people cannot take advantage of potentially lifesaving treatments due to the high costs.