Way Smarter Than You - Slashdot User

Submission + - SPAM: With coronavirus antibodies fading fast, vaccine hopes fade, too

Submitted by Way Smarter Than You on Saturday July 18, 2020 @11:59AM

Way Smarter Than You writes: Disturbing new revelations that permanent immunity to the coronavirus may not be possible have jeopardized vaccine development and reinforced a decision by scientists at UCSF and affiliated laboratories to focus exclusively on treatments.

Several recent studies conducted around the world indicate that the human body does not retain the antibodies that build up during infections, meaning there may be no lasting immunity to COVID-19 after people recover.

Strong antibodies are also crucial in the development of vaccines. So molecular biologists fear the only way left to control the disease may be to treat the symptoms after people are infected to prevent the most debilitating effects, including inflammation, blood clots and death.

"I just donâ(TM)t see a vaccine coming anytime soon," said Nevan Krogan, a molecular biologist and director of UCSFâ(TM)s Quantitative Biosciences Institute, which works in partnership with 100 research laboratories. "People do have antibodies, but the antibodies are waning quickly." And if antibodies diminish, "then there is a good chance the immunity from a vaccine would wane too."
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Submission + - SPAM: Polestar Will Build Some Sort of Ride-Hailing Robotaxi with Waymo

Submitted by Way Smarter Than You on Sunday June 28, 2020 @10:18PM

Way Smarter Than You writes: Add Polestar to the list of companies that think Waymo has what it takes to bring us to an autonomous-vehicle future. Exactly what that future will look like is a bit vague right now, but we know that Polestar is joining a strategic group partnership with Waymo to further autonomous-vehicle technology that also includes two other brands in the stable of Chinese automaker Geely: Volvo and Lynk & Co.

Polestar says that this new partnership will open up "new opportunities for the electric performance brand," including putting Waymo's fully self-driving technologyâ"called Waymo Driverâ"into future Polestar vehicles. The deal makes Waymo the exclusive global Level 4 partner for Volvo Car Group. As defined by the SAE, Level 4 is a category of technology that can drive the car on its own in limited situations.
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Submission + - With restaurants closed, CDC warns of increasingly aggressive rodents looking fo (seattletimes.com)

Submitted by Way Smarter Than You on Sunday May 24, 2020 @01:07PM

Way Smarter Than You writes: An interesting side effect of the shut down:

Humans arenâ(TM)t the only ones hankering for the days they could dine out at their citiesâ(TM) restaurants: Some rats that miss feasting on the scraps are becoming increasingly brazen to find new food sources, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday.

Amid stay-home restrictions set across the country to battle the spread of the novel coronavirus, many restaurants and cafes are closed or limited to takeout and delivery, and with the reduced sales, the restaurantsâ(TM) trash bins are no longer overflowing with scrumptious leftovers hoards of rodents subsisted on. Finding slimmer pickings than they used to, citiesâ(TM) critters are more aggressive, prompting CDC to issue guidance on how to deter them.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been increased reports of rat cannibalism and infanticide in New York, as well as more rat complaints in residential areas â" including in Chicago â" as humans produce more food waste at home. Roving rat armies, including one caught on camera scavenging New Orleansâ(TM) empty streets, are concerning to the CDC, which says rodents can carry disease.

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