3,358 articles from NOVEMBER 2021
FDA Panel Narrowly Backs a First-of-a-Kind COVID-19 Antiviral Pill Made By Merck
WASHINGTON (AP) — A panel of U.S. health advisers on Tuesday narrowly backed a closely watched COVID-19 pill from Merck, setting the stage for a likely authorization of the first drug that Americans could take at home to treat the coronavirus.
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel voted 13-10 that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, including potential birth defects if used...
In children with multiple sclerosis, teriflunomide tempers lesion growth
- ScienceDaily
- 21/11/30 23:40
A phase 3 clinical trial tested the safety and efficacy of teriflunomide, an oral immunomodulatory drug, in children with multiple sclerosis. Although the medication did not prevent disease relapses to a greater extent than placebo, the option for some patients to switch from placebo to teriflunomide before the end of the trial likely biased the results against treatment efficacy. The drug...
Shrinking qubits for quantum computing with atom-thin materials
- ScienceDaily
- 21/11/30 23:39
Current approaches to create superconducting qubits for quantum computers yield chips that are substantially larger than those found in classical computers. To shrink things down, researchers have taken advantage of atomically thin, 2D materials to construct the necessary capacitors for superconducting qubits. Their two-qubit chip is 1,000x smaller than those made with conventional fabrication...
Bringing 400-million-year-old fossilized armored worms to ‘virtual’ life
- ScienceDaily
- 21/11/30 23:39
Scientists have documented the discovery of two new species of fossilized armored worms in Australia -- Lepidocoleus caliburnus and Lepidocoleus shurikenus -- dating from about 400 million years ago. Then, using the micro-CT imaging capabilities of the MU X-ray Microanalysis Core facility, the researchers were able to develop first-of-its-kind digital 3D-models of the species' individual armor...
Altered DNA repair and DNA damage in neurodegenerative conditions
- ScienceDaily
- 21/11/30 23:39
Researchers have confirmed a link between altered DNA repair and increased DNA damage associated with spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7), a debilitating, sometimes deadly neurodegenerative condition causing movement disorders. Their work also revealed a potential therapeutic target for the currently incurable and difficult to treat condition.
Scientists to map fungal networks, determine climate role
Scientists from the United States and Europe announced plans Tuesday to create the biggest map of underground fungal networks, arguing they are an important but overlooked piece in the puzzle of how to tackle climate change.
Researchers generate, for the first time, a vortex beam of atoms and molecules
Vortices may conjure a mental image of whirlpools and tornadoes—spinning bodies of water and air—but they can also exist on much smaller scales. In a new study published in Science, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science, together with collaborators from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Tel Aviv University, have created, for the first time, vortices made of a single...
Domestic violence goes unrecognized in faith communities
Australians who are frequently involved in religion and who identify as religious are less likely to acknowledge domestic violence is an issue within their faith community, despite acknowledging it as a national issue, a new study has found.
Echolocation builds prediction models of prey movement
Bats are not only using their acoustical abilities to find a meal—they are also using it to predict where their prey would be, increasing their chances of a successful hunt.
Changing weather patterns mix up the size, duration of annual Chesapeake Bay dead zone
The Chesapeake Bay Program and its partners, including the University of Michigan, released information today on the state of the 2021 Chesapeake Bay "dead zone." While last year's dead zone was the second smallest observed since 1985, this year's assessment paints a more complex picture of the bay's health.
Report indicates that English learners face severe inequities and substandard conditions in New Jersey schools
English learners in New Jersey public schools, already facing inadequate supports and a lack of attention, missed out on critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report that a Rutgers faculty member helped edit.
Shrinking qubits for quantum computing with atom-thin materials
For quantum computers to surpass their classical counterparts in speed and capacity, their qubits—which are superconducting circuits that can exist in an infinite combination of binary states—need to be on the same wavelength. Achieving this, however, has come at the cost of size. Whereas the transistors used in classical computers have been shrunk down to nanometer scales, superconducting...
Flu virus shells could improve delivery of mRNA into cells
Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new and potentially more effective way to deliver messenger RNA (mRNA) into cells. Their approach involves packing mRNA inside nanoparticles that mimic the flu virus—a naturally efficient vehicle for delivering genetic material such as RNA inside cells.
Extroverted? You may have better financial outcomes
You might think the way you approach money is based on financial advice or past experiences, but new research from the University of Georgia shows that your personality may have a big impact on financial decision making and risk taking.
Responding to anti-Asian racism requires better info about the AAPI community and its needs
The recent rise of anti-Asian attacks across the U.S. has galvanized the community to build newfound alliances and resilience, with advocates working to increase reporting of hate incidents and developing strategies to fight anti-Asian racism, according to a new RAND Corporation report.
NASA TV to Air IXPE Prelaunch Activities, Launch
Portal origin URL: NASA TV to Air IXPE Prelaunch Activities, LaunchPortal origin nid: 475663Published: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 - 15:24Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission, the first satellite dedicated to measuring the...
Playing it safe: Scientist creates energetic compounds with isotopic labels
Ana Racoveanu is able to do something most others throughout the nuclear security enterprise cannot do—something challenging and extremely valuable throughout the complex.
Bringing 400-million-year-old fossilized armored worms to 'virtual' life
An international team of scientists from the United States and Australia, led by Sarah Jacquet at the University of Missouri, has documented the discovery of two new species of fossilized armored worms in Australia—Lepidocoleus caliburnus and Lepidocoleus shurikenus—dating from about 400 million years ago. Then, using the micro-CT imaging capabilities of the MU X-ray Microanalysis Core...
High-speed holography of cells spots physical beacons of disease
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have engineered a holographic system capable of imaging and analyzing tens of thousands of cells per minute to both discover and recognize signs of disease.
Planetary scientists discover brief presence of water in Arabia Terra on Mars
As part of a team of collaborators from Northern Arizona University and Johns Hopkins University, Northern Arizona University (NAU) Ph.D. candidate Ari Koeppel recently discovered that water was once present in a region of Mars called Arabia Terra.
Survey of gun policy experts finds wide disagreement remains
Wide disagreement remains among U.S. experts who study gun policy issues, with differing opinions about how much individual policies may reduce gun violence and other harms caused by firearms, according to a new RAND Corporation report.