Lessons for Pharma from a Pre-Approval Social Media Misstep
One ill-advised retweet over two years ago regarding data for an unapproved product has resulted in significant learnings for Pfizer and the pharmaceutical industry about the careful boundaries of using social media
AI | Detecting COVID-19 in Lungs with Deep Learning
Over the past few years, researchers have made great strides in applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to medical imaging. One area that has shown promise is using deep neural networks (DNNs) to analyze lung ultrasound images and detect signs of COVID-19
Understanding the Silent Killer: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV, has often been called “the forgotten virus.” Despite being a leading cause of infant hospitalization worldwide, RSV still receives significantly less attention than other pediatric viruses like influenza.
The Link Between Diet, Metabolism and Vaccine Effectiveness
Influenza and other viral illnesses continue to pose serious health risks worldwide. Vaccination is a cornerstone of prevention strategies, but their effectiveness can vary significantly between individuals. A new mouse study illuminates one overlooked factor that may explain a key aspect of this variability
The Mystery of the Disappearing Fireflies
Fireflies have illuminated summer evenings with their magical glow as long as humanity has observed the night sky, but now anecdotal reports from across North America have suggested that firefly populations have been declining.
Fighting the Nanoplastics
Most people are familiar with the scourge of microplastics pollution - the microscopic pieces of plastic debris that are pervasive in our waters. But an even smaller and more insidious form of plastic pollution is gaining attention from scientists - nanoplastics.
AI | Hallucinations and Illusions of AI in Science
A new perspective paper published in Nature warns that an overreliance on AI comes with epistemic risks that could undermine the very goals of increased productivity and objectivity that AI promises. See the April DarkDrug Editorial based on this paper
GlaxoSmithKline Files Lawsuit Against Pfizer-BioNTech Over COVID-19 Vaccine Technology
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer-BioNTech, claiming patent infringement related to the technology used in their highly successful COVID-19 vaccine. This legal battle is expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of vaccine development.
AI | Can AI Assist in Peer Review?
The constant growth in research output has placed tremendous strain on this system as the number of papers requiring expert evaluation increases each year. Could artificial intelligence (AI) offer a solution by assisting reviewers or automating certain tasks?
AI | Will AI Diminish the Rigor of Peer Review?
As the use of AI by researchers to aid them write abstracts and journal submissions grows, this research looks at the use of AI in reviewing them
Imaging Atoms in Quantum Wave Motion
Erwin Schrödinger's 1920 equation that predicts how particles-turned-waves should behave. is now being recreated in laboratories by researchers
Ocean Productivity Declines as Marine Heatwaves Intensify
Marine primary productivity is pivotal for transferring carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the ocean. This study shows a 65% decline in net primary production in the surveyed area.
Towards Printing the Brain
A 3D-printed 'brain phantom' has been developed, which is modeled on the structure of brain fibers and can be imaged using a special variant of magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI).
ACTIVITY | The Lyrid Meteor Shower: An April Sky Spectacle
Witness the Oldest Recorded Meteor Shower
EDITORIAL
After 11 years, Boston Dynamics has said goodbye to its humanoid robot ATLAS HD. The robotics company says it’s time for ATLAS to “kick back and relax” in retirement, letting the new all electric ATLAS take over. This video was shared to remember ATLAS HD’s great moments and those not so great.
From Elsewhere on the Web
Science
- Sleep resets brain connections -- but only for...on May, 2024 at 4:58 pm
During sleep, the brain weakens the new connections between neurons that had been forged while awake -- but only during the first half of a night's sleep, according to a new study.
Technology
- The big quantum chill: Scientists modify common...on May, 2024 at 11:36 pm
Scientists have dramatically reduced the time and energy required to chill materials to temperatures near absolute zero. Their prototype refrigerator could prove a boon for the burgeoning quantum industry, which widely uses ultracold materials.
Pharma
- Therapy to kill hypervirulent bacteria developedon May, 2024 at 11:37 pm
A study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics. Scientists showed that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly […]
Health
- Scientists identify new brain circuit in mice...on May, 2024 at 4:58 pm
The brain can direct the immune system to an unexpected degree, capable of detecting, ramping up and tamping down inflammation, shows a new study in mice.
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