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Circulating tumor DNA, or ctDNA, can predict metastatic risk in patients who receive bladder-sparing treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but it is not a good predictor of local recurrence within the bladder, according to new data presented today by Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers.

Adhesion GPCRs are a large class of surface proteins that recognize chemical and mechanical stimuli in the body. The rapidly expanding body of knowledge on the therapeutic targeting of these receptors is raising hopes for clinical application in the near future. Although no medicinal products targeting these receptors have yet been approved, several adhesion GPCR modulators are available and show potential for translation into clinical use. Modulators are crucial for the regulation of metabolic pathways and play a major role in pharmacology by enabling the targeted control of receptor activity.

Preserving quantum information is key to developing useful quantum computing systems. But interacting quantum systems are chaotic and follow laws of thermodynamics, eventually leading to information loss. Physicists have long known of a strange exception, called dynamical freezing, when quantum systems shaken at precisely tuned frequencies evade these laws. But how long can this phenomenon postpone thermodynamics?

A study reveals how two proteins cooperate in a key early step of antiviral detection, as reported by researchers at Science Tokyo. Using cryo-electron microscopy and high-speed atomic force microscopy, they found that LGP2 binds to viral RNA and recruits MDA5 molecules, as if threading beads on a string. This creates a scaffold that facilitates the formation of a large signaling complex, which ultimately triggers an innate immune response.

Recent decades have witnessed rapid advancements in high-intensity laser technology. The combination of laser irradiation and novel materials is opening exciting avenues for the design of functional materials and devices. Semiconductors are ideal platforms for generating laser-driven functionalities because they can exhibit novel features such as ultrafast optical transparency. This effect arises from electronic occupation redistribution driven by ultrafast excitation, which manifests as a phenomenon called transient Pauli blocking.

Early mammalian ancestors were nocturnal, sleeping during the day while the dinosaurs dominated the land. However, some mammalian lineages, including human ancestors, independently transitioned to diurnality (active during the day). Scientists have now discovered why humans are not nocturnal. A new study published in Science reveals that the answer is in the genes.

Perioperative enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab and surgery lead to significantly better outcomes among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy compared with surgery alone, according to a study published online Feb. 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A study by the UAB and the University of A Coruña has succeeded in demonstrating the existence of Roman-era alluvial gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees. The discovery was made possible by dating two samples from the infill levels of the hydraulic structures at the Guilleteres d'All mines using new luminescence techniques (OSL), yielding a chronology of around the 3rd–4th centuries CE. This calculation fully confirms the Roman origin of the structure and allows confirming for the first time the exploitation of Pyrenean gold by the Romans in this region. The work is published in the journal Land.

At newly colonized high-elevation sites in the central Italian Apennines, female Daubenton's bats take turns using the same hunting spots instead of feeding side by side. A study published by a research team from the University of Naples Federico II, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, and several international partner institutions in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation shows that this fine-scale temporal partitioning helps the bats avoid competition and may be crucial for surviving at the cold edge of a climate-driven range expansion.

Tech titan Amazon is working to step out of Nvidia's shadow with custom "Trainium" chips designed specially for machine learning as billions of dollars are poured into artificial intelligence (AI).

Every year, over 100 billion nitrile rubber gloves are produced. They are made from synthetic polymers—a material chemically related to plastic and derived from crude oil. The vast majority is used in the health care sector, and most are discarded after single use. This creates a massive amount of material waste globally. However, Simon Kildahl, a postdoc at the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University, has moved a step closer to a way of recycling these gloves. In a new study published in the journal Chem, he and his colleagues demonstrate how they can transform waste rubber into a CO2 adsorbent in the laboratory. The potential, he explains, is significant.

Placental vascular reactivity (PLVR) can help identify fetal congenital heart disease (CHD), according to a study recently published in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Researchers at the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology have uncovered new evidence that two major types of gene-controlling DNA sequences, promoters and enhancers, operate with a shared logic and often perform the same jobs. The finding, made possible through a high-throughput assay they developed called QUASARR-seq, could reshape how scientists design gene therapies, interpret disease-related mutations, and understand cancer genetics.

A research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has analyzed 40 years of data covering about 1,500 tropical cyclones and discovered that average rain rates surge by more than 20% in the 60 hours before landfall. The study is also the first to clearly identify the physical mechanisms behind this increase, showing that rising humidity over coastal areas and enhanced land-sea frictional contrasts strengthen convection, intensifying rainfall ahead of landfall. The results provide valuable insights for improving coastal disaster preparedness and early-warning systems.

New research by engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder aims to get to the bottom of why, as the saying goes, you get a "skip in your step" when you're happy.

Gene therapy has been successfully used to treat a number of diseases, including immune deficiencies, hereditary blindness, hemophilia and, recently, Huntington's disease, a fatal neurological disorder.

A research team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed GrainBot, an AI-enabled toolkit that automatically extracts and quantifies multiple microstructural features from microscopy images. Designed to meet the growing need for data-driven and autonomous research workflows in materials science, the tool provides a systematic method for converting complex image information into quantitative data, thereby accelerating the discovery and development of next-generation materials.

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine's School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences have discovered how muscle stem cells "flip a switch" to rebuild damaged muscle—a finding that could help address muscle loss linked to aging, injury and widely used weight-loss medications.

Cyanobacteria are among the most significant life forms in the history of our planet. As one of the first organisms to produce oxygen through photosynthesis, they shaped early Earth and created the atmosphere in which complex life could develop. A new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that filamentous cyanobacteria also developed a navigation mechanism to control their movement when gliding across surfaces.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have found that a medication originally developed for glycemic control can reverse serious heart damage—not by controlling blood sugar as originally intended, but by retraining the immune system to protect the heart from within.

Will humanity extend into the far future? It's likely many of us think it should. The problem is that each of us, individually and collectively, act otherwise—we are destroying the environment and climate at every turn. Now a group of scientists is arguing that civilization needs to specifically and systematically study how our species can ensure its survival, even for millions of years, via a new interdisciplinary field they call "Future Dynamics." Their study is published in Habitable Planet.

Some solid materials can cool down or heat up when pressure is applied or released. This behavior enables cooling and heating technologies that do not rely on climate-damaging refrigerant gases. In practice, however, a major obstacle remains: many materials behave differently during heating and cooling, which makes their response difficult to use reliably in real devices. In a study published in the journal Communications Materials, researchers investigate a solid material known for its exceptionally large cooling/heating response (thermal response) under pressure and ask a simple question: can this response be made more reliable? They show that a very small change in composition leads to a clear improvement and use neutron experiments to explain why this improvement occurs.

In recent years, mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (mRNA–LNPs) has emerged as a promising strategy for treating numerous conditions, including COVID-19, various cancers and chronic genetic disorders. To date, this technology has not been successfully used for pancreatic diseases, but that could be about to change. In a paper published in Nature, scientists from China report the development of a new lipid nanoparticle drug-delivery system specifically designed for the pancreas.

Planetary systems such as our solar system take hundreds of millions of years to evolve. Since humanity has only existed for a sliver of that time, astronomers have only observed planetary systems at birth or, more often, long after they have settled into adulthood. There is an information gap about what happens in the middle.

Certain imagery-based techniques can reduce the fear of failure that results from difficult childhood memories, according to research by scientists from SWPS University and the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology. The researchers described their findings in a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

A comprehensive game plan and strategic tactics are critical to winning soccer, but how much does a team's unpredictability in moving the soccer ball around the pitch matter? In a new article published in PLOS One, an international team of researchers analyzed event data from top-tier association soccer competitions to provide insights into match analysis, player tactics and game strategy.

The dominant theory in neuroscience has been that the sensory processing circuits in our brain are finalized in early childhood and fixed afterward. A recently published study, however, overturned this widely believed theory, and suggested that the brain remodels its own circuits even during adulthood and increases the precision of sensory perception.

Monthly injections of long-acting cabotegravir-rilpivirine are superior to standard oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and medication adherence challenges, according to a study published online Feb. 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Large-capacity rechargeable batteries capable of sustaining repeated charge-discharge cycles are expected to become core technologies for electric vehicles and other elements of an electrified society. However, current systems often rely on costly metals such as lithium and platinum, creating an urgent demand for more cost-effective alternative materials.

Researchers working with Professor Ralf Erdmann at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, have discovered a critical vulnerability shared by the pathogens that cause African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis. The PEX38 protein plays a crucial role in the formation of certain organelles of the trypanosomes that are essential for their energy supply. Because humans do not require this protein, it represents a promising target for new treatments against tropical diseases that affect more than 1 billion people worldwide every year.

A research team in China has developed an electrolyte using monofluorinated hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) solvents capable of achieving energy densities higher than 700 Wh kg−1 at room temperature and about 400 Wh kg−1 at −50 °C, a significant improvement over current technologies. Their work, recently published in Nature, has potential applications in electric vehicles, aerospace, and grid storage for operation in extreme climates.

Duckweed is the fastest-growing flowering plant, but new knowledge of duckweed genetics discovered by Adelaide University researchers could lead to even faster growing rates. The research team, led by Professor Nikolai Borisjuk at the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering in Kyiv, Ukraine, described for the first time the architecture of the duckweed 5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) chromosomal locus at the nucleotide level.

German carmaker BMW said Friday it plans to deploy two AI-powered humanoid robots in a factory in a pilot program for the first time this year.

NASA said Friday it's adding an extra moon mission by Artemis astronauts before attempting a high-risk lunar landing with a crew.

Academic writing is one of the skills that students find most difficult to learn on the side. Particularly in bachelor's programs, precise and specific feedback is needed to turn initial drafts into robust exposés for final theses and peer reviews—feedback from fellow students—into genuinely helpful guidance. In practice, this is extremely challenging: In large courses, a vast number of texts have to be carefully read and evaluated according to uniform criteria every semester, and on top of that, there is assessment of the peer reviews.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting approximately 330 people worldwide. This disorder is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, low motivation, a loss of interest in daily activities, and possible disruptions in sleep and/or appetite changes.

For patients with advanced melanoma without BRAF mutation who no longer respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, treatment options remain frustratingly limited. A new study from Vanderbilt researchers led by Professor Emerita of Pharmacology Ann Richmond outlines a promising therapeutic strategy that may resensitize these resistant tumors to immunotherapy.

Higher levels of blood lactate may be the key to a longer life for people with the neurodegenerative condition ALS, new research suggests. A study at The University of Queensland and Japan's Shiga University of Medical Science has revealed blood lactate is a key biomarker that can predict physical outcomes and prognosis in patients with ALS. The research was published in the Annals of Neurology.

A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a novel dry-process manufacturing method for thick electrodes aimed at enhancing electric vehicle (EV) driving range while reducing battery production costs. Professor Won-Jin Kwak of the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Junghyun Choi of Gachon University and Professor Janghyuk Moon of Chung-Ang University, have successfully overcome key challenges associated with thick, dry-processed electrodes—specifically initial capacity loss and manufacturing complexity.

Emergency evacuations during natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis increasingly rely on advanced technology to effectively assess real-time crowd movement and points of congestion. Disaster-preparedness involves the development of an optimized technology that is easy to use and interpret.

In the era of climate crisis, hydrogen vehicles are emerging as an alternative for eco-friendly mobility. However, the fuel cell, known as the "heart of the hydrogen car," still faces limitations of high cost and short lifespan. The core cause is the platinum catalyst. While it is a decisive material for generating electricity, the reaction is slow, performance degrades over time, and manufacturing costs are high. Korean researchers have presented a clue to solving this difficult problem.

Refugee and immigrant children are less likely to visit the emergency department (ED) for minor illnesses (e.g., respiratory infections) compared to children born in Ontario, according to a new study from ICES and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). The study, "Emergency department visits for minor illnesses among recent refugee and immigrant children," is published inJAMA Network Open.

A new Trinity study is the first-of-its-kind in Ireland to specifically focus on women to address the disproportionately poor physical health of this population when compared to the general population. The study published by Trinity College researchers from the School of Medicine in the journal BMJ Open, explored the effect of an exercise program in a Dublin day center for women who are dealing with challenging issues.

A team from the Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute has identified a tick-derived evasin that can bind to two major classes of chemokines, a discovery that is important for the development of therapeutics targeting inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The work is published in the journal Structure.

Researchers have taken inspiration from nature to create a robotic wing that can sense and adapt to changes in water to deliver unparalleled stability. Drawing on the adaptive movements of birds and fish, the wing senses disturbances in the flow of water and automatically changes its shape to adjust to these.

Innovation in artificial intelligence applications, including the rising tide of AI agents, is based on startups accessing AI foundation models offered by Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. Each of these companies also competes with those startups, creating conflicts of interest. A new report by Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator director of artificial intelligence and technology policy Asad Ramzanali and Akhil Rajan analyzes the foundational model market, highlights a case study of a startup that experienced unfair treatment from a foundation model provider, and recommends a requirement for AI neutrality similar to "net neutrality" rules in broadband.

Regular perovskite solar cells (PSCs)—which place the electron-transport layer beneath the perovskite absorber and the hole-transport layer on top—have limitations with respect to large-scale manufacturing and stability. In contrast, inverted PSCs—which reverse the positions of the electron- and hole-transport layers—boast high power conversion potential and good compatibility with scalable solution processing techniques, making them a promising photovoltaic technology.

New data centers are springing up worldwide as demand soars for artificial intelligence and cloud computing, with Asia one of the sector's fastest growing regions.

A new material can store energy from sunlight and convert it into hydrogen days later. The material, jointly developed by researchers from Ulm and Jena, can do this even in the dark. The process is reversible and can be reactivated several times using a pH switch. The results are published in the journal Nature Communications.

A team from the University of Stuttgart, together with international researchers, has succeeded in enhancing both the efficiency and environmental resilience of perovskite solar cells. This is another important step toward the application of a technology that holds great promise for photovoltaics. The research is published in the journal Nature Energy.

A 22-meter robot arm will help remove a third sample of radioactive debris from inside Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, its operator said Thursday, as it unveiled the snake-like device.

In the search for more, new and cleaner sources of energy, a largely untapped resource is emerging: natural hydrogen.

Training police officers with a virtual-reality game can significantly improve their ability to regulate stress, even in realistic, high-pressure situations. The VR game, developed at the Donders Institute at Radboud University, has already been integrated into several police training programs.

Reasoning large language models (LLMs) are designed to solve complex problems by breaking them down into a series of smaller steps. These powerful models are particularly good at challenging tasks like advanced programming and multistep planning. But developing reasoning models demands an enormous amount of computation and energy due to inefficiencies in the training process. While a few of the high-power processors continuously work through complicated queries, others in the group sit idle.

Adelaide University researchers have initiated the development of a world-first cybersecurity system designed to protect drones from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The new study led by the Industrial AI Research Center and published in the journal Computers & Industrial Engineering, paves the way for safer and more resilient unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that are less vulnerable to hacking, signal disruption and malicious software.

A battery's positive end (cathode) and negative end (anode) are two vital components that largely define how well it can perform. In particular, researchers have focused on improving the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of cathode design, since they can account for a significant amount of the costs for producing lithium batteries.

Africa's freight corridors, long dominated by diesel trucks and constrained by unreliable power grids, are emerging as a new frontier in the global shift toward clean logistics, with solar-powered charging hubs designed specifically for heavy-duty electric trucks.