Environmental pollution is putting amphibians and reptiles at risk, yet these animals are not included in regulations regarding the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pesticides. The extent to which other species already used in pesticide toxicity assessment (including fish, birds and mammals) can serve as effective surrogates is currently under debate. This study conducts a systematic review of the available literature. The results reveal a positive correlation between toxicity recorded on fish and aquatic amphibians, but indicate that birds and mammals are generally not good surrogates for reptiles and terrestrial amphibians. Moreover, some chemical-dependent trends were detected, with a number of insecticides found to be more toxic to amphibians or reptiles than to potential surrogates. These findings highlight an urgent need for further research to reduce uncertainties and contribute to future policymaking regarding the protection of amphibians and reptiles from potentially harmful pesticides.

With malaria and polio eradication at the top of Gates' to-do list, the Microsoft founder finds fault with Google's focus on tech projects.

The Microsoft founder admits that the cumbersome combination should have been made easier.

Bill and Melinda Gates outline global-aid myths: poor countries will always be poor, foreign aid is a waste, and saving lives will lead to overpopulation.

Big money is being poured into a technology that could make it possible to modify your DNA.

Polio could be wiped out by 2018, but Gates says it will require investment and hard work.

Robots are taking jobs from tax-paying, product-consuming human beings and a lot of people are talking about it. How will these people live?

The Dallas-based startup CruiseBe takes the cruise planning process to the new level.

A successful Los Angeles film editor discusses her tips on working from home during this worldwide pandemic.

The former Secretary of Defense talks with HBR editor-in-chief Adi Ignatius about his new book, "Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War."

Melinda Gates, cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Pivotal Ventures, is committing $1 billion over the next ten years to advance gender equality. She says evidence shows it's the best way to drive economic development in nations and performance in companies. She shares her own stories as a female executive at Microsoft, a working mother, and a nonprofit leader learning from women around the world. Gates is the author of the HBR article "Gender Equality Is Within Our Reach."

Land use and climate change are two key factors with the potential to affect stream conditions and fish habitat. Since the 1950s, Washington and Oregon have required forest practices designed to mitigate the effects of timber harvest on streams and fish.

Garden lovers are welcoming new contactless delivery service from Southdene Nursery in Low Fell

Gateshead Rugby Football Club members swap Bank Holiday festival plans for a 554-mile fund-raising 'journey' to London and back

The preparation of phosphorescent metalloporphyrin labelling reagents and their use for preparation of phosphorescent conjugates with biomolecules. The labelling reagents obtainable are water soluble monofunctional derivatives of Pt- and Pd-coproporphyrins, where the term “monofunctional” refers to the number of reactive groups in the porphyrin moiety.

The invention relates to (among other things) oligomer-foscarnet conjugates and related compounds. A conjugate of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits advantages over previously administered un-conjugated foscarnet compounds.

Acetaminophen conjugates are provided, which have an acetaminophen moiety covalently linked to a second moiety. The conjugates provided may have one or more advantageous properties, including increased water solubility as compared to acetaminophen, reduced toxicity profile as compared to acetaminophen and an altered pharmacokinetic profile. Formulations comprising the conjugates are also provided, as are methods of using the conjugates and kits comprising the conjugates.

The invention provide a silica nanoparticle comprising a non-porous matrix of silicon-oxygen bonds, wherein the matrix comprises organic agents conjugated to silicon or oxygen atoms in the matrix, the organic agents are conjugated to the matrix through linker L groups, wherein the linker L comprises, for example, an ester, urea, thiourea, or thio ether group, and wherein the diameter of the nanoparticle is about 15 nm to about 200 nm. The invention also provides novel methods of making and using the silica nanoparticles described herein.

A method for providing a biological logic gate comprising the following steps: subjecting a bistable autoregulatory gene network (GRN) to a noisy background; identifying adjustable parameters of the GRN; using logical stochastic resonance to determine values of the GRN parameters which result in the GRN performing different logic gate functions; and setting the parameter values of the GRN such that the GRN performs a first logic gate function.

Disclosed is a novel photosensitizer based on polymer derivatives-photosensitizer conjugates for photodynamic therapy capable of being selectively accumulated in cancerous tissues and producing singlet oxygen or free radical by laser irradiation. The polymer derivatives-photosensitizer conjugates for photodynamic therapy are prepared as nano-sized particles, and have excellent selection and accumulation ratio for cancerous tissues. The photosensitizer conjugates can produce singlet oxygen or free radical by a specific laser wavelength. Owing to the excellent selection and accumulation ratio for cancerous tissues, the conjugates minimizes photo-cytotoxicity of the conventional photosensitizer having a low molecular amount. Accordingly, the conjugates are very useful as a photosensitizes for photodynamic therapy with reduced side effects and excellent therapeutic effectiveness.

The present invention relates to methods for synthesizing compounds of formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: I wherein each of X, Alk1, Alk2, and W are as defined and described herein.

To provide a diagnostic and therapeutic medicament, a bombesin analog peptide antagonist conjugate is provided which has general Formula (I), wherein A is a metal chelator comprising at least one radionuclide metal, B is a spacer linked to N-terminal of C or a covalent bond and C is a bombesin analog peptide antagonist having a sequence as claimed, where further x is an integer from 1 to 3 and n is an integer from 1 to 6. [A-(B)n]x—C (I)

The present invention provides processes for the manufacturing of polypeptide conjugates. In particular, the invention provides methods for the purification of polypeptide conjugates, which include at least one polymeric modifying groups, such as a poly(alkylene oxide) moiety. Exemplary poly(alkylene oxide) moieties include poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propylene glycol). In an exemplary process, hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) is used to resolve different glycoforms of glycoPEGylated polypeptides.

Disclosed herein are antibody-nanoparticle conjugates that include two or more nanoparticles (such as gold, palladium, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt, iridium, or an alloy of two or more thereof) directly linked to an antibody or fragment thereof through a metal-thiol bond. Methods of making the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates disclosed herein include reacting an arylphosphine-nanoparticle composite with a reduced antibody to produce an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate. Also disclosed herein are methods for detecting a target molecule in a sample that include using an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate (such as the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates described herein) and kits for detecting target molecules utilizing the methods disclosed herein.

The invention is directed to a single-step method for rapidly and efficiently preparing protein-polymer conjugates, including an insulin-polymer conjugate. According to the method of the present invention, a protein and hydrophilic polymer are contacted in the presence of at least one organic solvent and at least one metal chelator, under conditions that promote the formation of a conjugate of the protein and polymer. Thus, the invention is directed to the site-specific modification of selected proteins, such as insulin, with poly(ethylene glycol) at residue PheB1. The invention also provides a pharmaceutical formulation for encapsulating the conjugate in a biodegradable polymer.

A well, in particular an open well (14) with an upper end having a vertical axis (101), for containing a liquid and particles contained within said liquid, characterized by comprising at least two manipulation electrodes (1, 2, 3, 31, 32, 36, 17, 40, 41) able to be powered by electrical voltages, in particular alternating electrical voltages, so as to manoeuvre particles within the well by means of the dielectrophoretic effect. A platform comprising a plurality of wells as described above and a method for using said well.

Provided are three-dimensional nonvolatile memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The memory devices include semiconductor pillars penetrating interlayer insulating layers and conductive layers alternately stacked on a substrate and electrically connected to the substrate and floating gates selectively interposed between the semiconductor pillars and the conductive layers. The floating gates are formed in recesses in the conductive layers.

A latch has a displaceable latching element in a housing for engagement with a separate striker arm to be latched behind an engagement shoulder of the latching element. The housing mounts a cylinder lock to receive a key from the front. A rotor is mounted on the rear of cylinder lock and rotation of the key causes rotation of the rotor to drive a locking element to engage and lock the latching element. The rotor may also be axial displaceable against spring biasing responsive to a rear unit pushing element whereby unlocking from a rear cylinder lock may rotate the rotor to unlock and pushing causes the latching element to be displaced against its biasing to release the striker arm.

One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate to thereby define a fin structure for the device, forming a local isolation region within each of the trenches, forming a sacrificial gate structure on the fin structure, wherein the sacrificial gate structure comprises at least a sacrificial gate electrode, and forming a layer of insulating material above the fin structure and within the trench above the local isolation region. In this example, the method further includes performing at least one etching process to remove the sacrificial gate structure to thereby define a gate cavity, after removing the sacrificial gate structure, performing at least one etching process to form a recess in the local isolation region, and forming a replacement gate structure that is positioned in the recess in the local isolation region and in the gate cavity.

This all-Louisiana-everything episode has two special conversations from South by Southwest. First, we talk to Mystikal, and go through his whole trip from his early days in New Orleans to stardom to his James Brown-inspired comeback.

Then we have an incredible chat with Kevin Gates. Gates is a Baton Rouge native whose powerful, open, emotional style and lyrics have him on a rapid rise to stardom. He is also perhaps the most captivating and unique personality we’ve come across at Outside the Lines, and we’re proud to share our talk with you.

See http://theciphershow.com/episode/39/ for full show notes and comments.

Pianist Roman Rabinovich's deep dive into the Haydn sonatas brought him revelations. Because Haydn's life bridged both the Baroque and Classical periods, his compositions reflect how the technology of the piano constantly progressed. "Instruments really changed like computers today, at that pace," Rabinovich said. Uzbeki-born, Israeli-trained Rabinovich continues to reflect Haydn's compositional invention since the Haydn project's debut at the Lincoln Center by performing the sonatas internationally. To listen to the full interview with Of Note's Katy Henriksen, click on the streaming link above.

A lot of these Buddha Machine Variations have been static/semi-generative things that just proceed under their own power. This is, I think, only the second where I intrude and do something to initiate changes. The source audio is a loop of a Philip Glass choral piece emanating from the edition of the Buddha Machine created […]

Weltweit kursieren inzwischen wilde Theorien, Microsoft-Gründer Bill Gates sei für den Ausbruch des Virus verantwortlich. Seinen Ursprung nahmen die Anschuldigungen in den USA. Doch längst haben sie auch Deutschland erreicht.

The Office of Special Counsel has found “reasonable grounds” to investigate whether Dr. Rick Bright was ousted from a senior science post for questioning Trump administration actions.

The co-founder of Microsoft is leading our understanding of COVID-19 and the road ahead, backed by one of the world's wealthiest charitable organizations. Columnist Jon Talton takes a closer look at the role of Bill Gates.

Amid sickness, deaths and frustrations among some who are clamoring to return to life before the COVID-19 outbreak, Gov. Jay Inslee finds himself tested politically like never before.

Bill Gates is stepping down from the board of Microsoft Corp., the company he co-founded in 1975.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization as “dangerous,” saying the payments should continue particularly during the global coronavirus pandemic. “Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds,” Gates tweeted early Wednesday. “Their work is […]

The NRL's integrity unit launches an investigation after a video posted on social media appears to show Melbourne Storm's Nelson Asofa-Solomona swinging punches during a brawl outside a nightclub.

Wildlife carers say they no longer have to euthanase kangaroos at a New South Wales hospital, after access was cut to thousands of tourists who were flocking to feed them.

Bullied outcasts hit the textbooks alongside teen mums bouncing babies while in the next classroom youths facing juvie learn about sex in prison.

(United States Supreme Court) - In a case alleging racial gerrymandering, held that the Virginia House of Delegates lacked standing to appeal the invalidation of Virginia's 2010 redistricting plan. As a single chamber of a bicameral legislature, the House had no standing to appeal a three-judge federal district court's redistricting ruling separately from the State of which it is a part. Justice Ginsburg delivered the opinion of the 5-4 Court, joined by Justices Thomas, Sotomayor, Kagan and Gorsuch.

(California Court of Appeal) - Affirmed. Plaintiff appealed from a pre-election trial court ruling that held that certain initiates were invalid and that the County of San Bernardino was excused from the duty to prepare ballot titles and summaries for them.

(United States Ninth Circuit) - Held that an engineering company could not proceed with a class action lawsuit alleging that its former concrete supplier unlawfully recorded cellular phone users' calls without their consent. Affirmed an order decertifying the class on the ground that the class representative lacked individual standing.

Keesha Sharp finds strength even when overcome by fear.

Check out this qz article: The robot that takes your job should pay taxes, says Bill Gates. About 35-40 years ago secretary was the biggest job in most states. Those days are long past. As you can see by advancing the time bar for the USA states map on that page, by 2000 truck driver was the biggest job. So I have a question for Bill Gates: Do you want to tax word processors too? Also, autonomous vehicle technology will surely wipe out most truck driving jobs in the next 20 years. Do you want to tax autonomous truck technology to slow the rate of that transition? Keep in mind that thousands of lives will be saved each year once...