I Critiqued My Past Papers on Social Media - Here's What I Learnt
The systems of science must reward honesty about mistakes to speed progress.
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Doctors Might Have Been Focusing on the Wrong Asthma Triggers
The pandemic was a big social experiment that sent asthma attacks plummeting.
The 3 Simple Rules That Underscore the Danger of Delta
Vaccines are still beating the variants, but the unvaccinated world is being pummeled.
Coronavirus vaccines may not work in some people. It’s because of their underlying conditions.
Coronavirus vaccines may not work in some people. It’s because of their underlying conditions.
Early research shows that 15 to 80 percent of people with certain medical conditions, such as specific blood cancers or organ transplants, are generating few antibodies after receiving coronavirus vaccines.
Human Body Size Shaped by Climate, Evolutionary Study Shows
Research combines data from fossils with climate models, revealing the effect of climate on body and brain size.
New Zealand Children Falling ill in High Numbers Due to Covid 'immunity Debt'
New Zealand Children Falling ill in High Numbers Due to Covid 'immunity Debt'
Doctors say children haven't been exposed to range of bugs due to lockdowns, distancing and sanitiser and their immune systems are suffering.
Reduced Sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 Variant Delta to Antibody Neutralization
The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 lineage was identified in October 2020 in India1-5. It has since then become dominant in some indian regions and UK and further spread to many countries6. The lineage includes three main subtypes (B1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3), harbouring diverse Spike mutations in the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) which may increase their immune evasion potential. B.1.617.2, also termed variant Delta, is believed to spread faster than other variants. Here, we isolated an infectious Delta strain from a traveller returning from India. We examined its sensitivity to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and to antibodies present in sera from COVID-19 convalescent individuals or vaccine recipients, in comparison to other viral strains. Variant Delta was resistant to neutralization by some anti-NTD and anti-RBD mAbs including Bamlanivimab, which were impaired in binding to the Spike. Sera from convalescent patients collected up to 12 months post symptoms were 4 fold less potent against variant Delta, relative to variant Alpha (B.1.1.7). Sera from individuals having received one dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines barely inhibited variant Delta. Administration of two doses generated a neutralizing response in 95% of individuals, with titers 3 to 5 fold lower against Delta than Alpha. Thus, variant Delta spread is associated with an escape to antibodies targeting non-RBD and RBD Spike epitopes.
Trends, Challenges, and Needs of Research in the Global South: Learnings As Research4Life Turns 20
Trends, Challenges, and Needs of Research in the Global South: Learnings As Research4Life Turns 20
Supporting information access in low- and middle-income countries: the latest analysis of the Research4Life user experience.
Biologist to Lead Europe's Premier Research Funder
Scientists hope Maria Leptin will bring stability to the European Research Council after predecessor Mauro Ferarri's controversial tenure.
What Polar Researchers Have Learnt from the Pandemic
Six scientists explain how COVID-19 has affected their fieldwork and research, as well as opportunities for junior researchers.
Hopes Dim for a Quick End to Row Keeping Swiss out of Horizon Europe
Hopes Dim for a Quick End to Row Keeping Swiss out of Horizon Europe
Switzerland is mounting a campaign to convince Brussels its participation in Horizon Europe should not be confounded by broader political tensions, but member states say it may time take to patch things up after Switzerland unilaterally withdrew from talks about its overall relationship with the EU.
'I Can't Remember Feeling As Excited About the Future': Redesigning Space Travel for Women
'I Can't Remember Feeling As Excited About the Future': Redesigning Space Travel for Women
The drive for more women and greater diversity in the space sector will lead to new ideas and innovations, from spacesuits to toilets and beyond.
How Identifying Hotspots of Zoonotic Disease Could Prevent Another Pandemic
How Identifying Hotspots of Zoonotic Disease Could Prevent Another Pandemic
Researchers have developed a tool to assess wildlife markets for risks of zoonotic outbreaks. It can help governments decide on courses of action, with strict veterinary requirements potentially more effective than bans.
More Than a Billion Seashore Animals May Have Cooked to Death in B.C. Heat Wave, Says UBC Researcher
More Than a Billion Seashore Animals May Have Cooked to Death in B.C. Heat Wave, Says UBC Researcher
A marine biologist at the University of British Columbia estimates that last week's record-breaking heat wave in B.C. may have killed more than one billion intertidal animals living along the Salish Sea coastline.
A Dry California Creek Bed Looked Like a Wildfire Risk. Then the Beavers Went to Work
"It was insane": Placer County floodplain restored by beavers in just three years
A New History Changes the Balance of Power Between Ethiopia and Medieval Europe
For centuries, a Eurocentric worldview disregarded the knowledge and strength of the African empire.
The British Academy Launches Strategic Committee for Languages in HE As New Data Confirms Mixed Picture in Modern Languages Provision
The British Academy Launches Strategic Committee for Languages in HE As New Data Confirms Mixed Picture in Modern Languages Provision
The British Academy, jointly with the University Council of Modern Languages, will next week convene a new Strategic Committee for Languages in Higher Education.
Science, not speculation, is essential to determine how SARS-CoV-2 reached humans
Open access book usage data: how close is COUNTER to the other kind?
Open access book usage data - how close is COUNTER to the other kind?
Preprints Are Not Going to Replace Journals
At a recent meeting, a debate was held on the motion: Preprints are going to replace journals. The author was asked to oppose the motion and this post is based on their arguments.
Everyone Should Decide How Their Digital Data Are Used - Not Just Tech Companies
Everyone Should Decide How Their Digital Data Are Used - Not Just Tech Companies
Smartphones, sensors and consumer habits reveal much about society. Too few people have a say in how these data are created and used.
Of Brown M&M's and Publishing in Academic Journals
Why did a certain band eliminate brown M&M's from their dressing room? And what does that have to do with the formatting requirements at some journals? This article explains.
Seek Diversity to Solve Complexity
A wide range of perspectives brings unique insight to societal problems.
It's Time to Put an End to Mentee Abuse in Academia
NIH data hint at the extent of bullying and emotional abuse, but barriers to tackling the issue remain high, says Joanna Buscemi.
Germany Too Dependent on Confucius Institutes, Minister Warns
In unprecedented comments ahead of federal elections in September, Anja Karliczek applauds university that shuttered its institute.
SSP's Early Career Development Podcast: Open Access
Meredith Adinolfi (Cell Press) and Ann Michael (DeltaThink) discuss some of the more complex aspects of the OA landscape, such as funder mandates, Plan S, and transformative agreements.
Museums Are in a Race Against Time to Keep Plastic Art from Falling Apart
Conservators seek ways to stop cultural artifacts from oozing and crumbling to dust.
Journal Impact Factor Gets a Sibling That Adjusts for Scientific Field
But critics worry the metrics remain prone to misuse.
Energy Transition Needs to Accelerate Urgently, Says EU's Scientific Advice Mechanism
Energy Transition Needs to Accelerate Urgently, Says EU's Scientific Advice Mechanism
There are many possible pathways towards a carbon-neutral future — and achieving it by 2050 is possible but requires urgent action.
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