302 articles from MONDAY 1.2.2021

Study links intensive BP lowering to reduced CV risk in patients exposed to air pollution

In the study 'The Benefits of Intensive Versus Standard Blood Pressure Treatment According to Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution Exposure' published this week in the journal Hypertension, researchers at University Hospitals (UH) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine found intensive BP lowering is effective in reducing cardiovascular risk in patients exposed to high...

Summer weather conditions influence winter survival of honey bees

Winter survival of honey bee colonies is strongly influenced by summer temperatures and precipitation in the prior year, according to Penn State researchers, who said their findings suggest that honey bees have a 'goldilocks' preferred range of summer conditions outside of which their probability of surviving the winter falls.

Supersaturation: The barrier between protein folding and misfolding

It's commonly accepted that protein folding/misfolding are alternative reactions of unfolded proteins but the principles governing this remain unknown. Here, researchers from Osaka University describe a general concept that links protein folding and misfolding: protein folding and amyloid formation are separated by the supersaturation barrier of a denatured protein. Breakdown of this...

Synthetic biology reinvents development

The research team have used synthetic biology to develop a new type of genetic design that can reproduce some of the key processes that enable creating structures in natural systems, from termite nests to the development of embryos.

The first steps toward a quantum brain

An intelligent material that learns by physically changing itself, similar to how the human brain works, could be the foundation of a completely new generation of computers. Radboud physicists working toward this so-called 'quantum brain' have made an important step. They have demonstrated that they can pattern and interconnect a network of single atoms, and mimic the autonomous behaviour of...

Traffic noise makes mating crickets less picky

New research has found that the mating behaviour of crickets is significantly affected by traffic noise and other man-made sounds. When man-made noise pollution was present, the females didn't take into account the courtship song of the male crickets during mating. As the courtship song is energetically costly and provides crucial information about the health of the male, this could affect...

Tsunamis and tsunami warning: recent progress and future prospects

There have been frequent tsunamis since the 21st century, drawing the attention of many countries on the study of tsunami mechanism and warning. Tsunami records also play an essential role in deriving earthquake rupture models in subduction zones. A recent paper reviews the recent progress and limitations of tsunami research, from the aspects of tsunami generation, propagation, inversion and...

UMass Amherst researchers discover materials capable of self-propulsion

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered how to make materials that snap and reset themselves, only relying upon energy flow from their environment. The discovery may prove useful for various industries that want to source movement sustainably, from toys to robotics, and is expected to further inform our understanding of how the natural world fuels some types of...

Virtual conference CO2 emissions quantified in new study

The virtual conferencing that has replaced large, in-person gatherings in the age of COVID-19 represents a drastic reduction in carbon emissions, but those online meetings still come with their own environmental costs, new research from the University of Michigan shows.

What makes people want more self-control?

A new study shows that people differ greatly in their desire to increase their self-control, and that merely having low self-control is not sufficient to induce a strong desire for better self-control. Desire for better self-control shows most potently after people acknowledge the relevance of self-control for their present needs. As such, the findings explain why so many self-control...

Why do psychiatric drugs help some, but not others? Study offers clues

New University of Colorado Boulder research shows that a key protein in the brain called AKT may function differently in males than females. The study also offers a closer look at where, precisely, in the brain things may go wrong with it, marking an important step toward more targeted and less harmful therapies.

Wonder fungi

Michelle O'Malley(link is external) has long been inspired by gut microbes. Since she began studying the herbivore digestive tract, the UC Santa Barbara chemical engineering professor has guided several students to their doctoral degrees, won early and mid-career awards (including a recognition from President Obama), attained tenure and advanced to the position of full professor. She even had...