Tag Archives: monthly

Monthly Injections May Replace Daily Steroid Medications for Severe Asthma

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Severe, poorly controlled asthma might increasingly be managed with monthly injections

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Individuals suffering from severe asthma often depend on daily steroid medications, raising their likelihood of diabetes, infections, and bone issues. A new study indicates that monthly antibody injections could serve as a safer alternative.

When asthma is unmanageable with an inhaler, steroid drugs are commonly used, effectively decreasing airway inflammation and alleviating symptoms alongside the risk of asthma attacks. However, these medications can lead to serious side effects. “We aim to minimize the usage of oral steroids,” says Fan Chun from Imperial College London, who was not part of the research.

Previous studies demonstrated that tezepelumab, a monthly antibody injection, reduces the symptoms of severe asthma more effectively than a placebo. This has led to its approval in several countries, including the UK and the US, over recent years. However, it remained uncertain whether this treatment could lessen or eliminate the reliance on steroid drugs.

To investigate this, David Jackson and his colleagues at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London recruited 298 individuals aged 18 to 80 with severe asthma from 11 countries. Participants were already using daily inhalers and steroids and were asked to take tezepelumab for one year. Chung noted that a control group wasn’t necessary since prior trials established that the injection had a significant effect compared to a placebo.

Researchers observed that, under medical supervision, participants’ oral steroid doses gradually decreased throughout the study.

By the end of the year, around half of the participants no longer required steroid medication, while 40% were able to reduce their doses enough to “minimize side effects,” according to Chung. “This outcome is highly successful,” he stated. “The trial confirms that tezepelumab is an effective treatment for patients with severe asthma, decreasing the need for daily medications.”

Side effects, such as worsening asthma symptoms, were reported by 9% of participants. However, it is unclear if these were due to the injection or existed beforehand, Chong explained. Nonetheless, he considers the rate acceptable given the advantages of reducing steroid use.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Meta Introduces £3.99 Monthly Fee for Ad-Free Experience on Facebook and Instagram for UK Users

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Users in the UK can access an ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram for a monthly fee of £3.99.

In response to regulatory concerns regarding personalized ads that utilize user data for targeted marketing, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has introduced this subscription service.

Web users will pay £2.99 per month, while mobile users can enjoy ad-free scrolling for £3.99 monthly. If accounts are linked, users will only be charged one fee.

“This gives individuals in the UK the option of continuing to use Facebook and Instagram for free with personalized ads or choosing to avoid ads altogether,” Meta stated.

The company announced that the new service would be available in the upcoming weeks. Users without a subscription will continue to see ads based on their personal data.

This subscription model mirrors offerings by Meta in the EU, which the European Commission has deemed a violation of the Digital Markets Act aimed at regulating major tech companies.

The Commission recommended a €200 million fine this year and suggested releasing a free version of the platform that relies on less detailed personal information such as gender, age, and location for ad targeting.

The UK’s intelligence committee, a data oversight authority, expressed its support for this initiative.

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“This transition moves Meta away from using targeted ad practices as a condition of Facebook and Instagram service usage, clarifying compliance with UK law,” a spokesperson from the ICO stated.

Source: www.theguardian.com

NASA reduces funding by $420 million for climate science, monthly modeling, and other projects

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NASA’s funding cuts have already impacted US research and education programs

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NASA has cancelled contracts and grants worth up to $420 million, following guidance from the Trump administration’s government efficiency (DOGE). The reductions will impact research projects and education programs in the United States, but NASA says it’s perfect for checking exactly which organizations are affected.

After Doge, an independent task force led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, NASA confirmed the amount but refused to specify which programs were cancelled. Casey Drier The Planetary Association, a California-based nonprofit organization, list of a program that has recently lost funds using the agency’s public grant database. NASA has since deleted the database and did not respond to questions about the accuracy of the list.

Much of the cuts on Dreyer’s list coincides with President Donald Trump’s skepticism about climate science and his administration’s active targets regarding his interpretation of the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) program.

Climate-related cancellations include a Massachusetts Institute of Technology project that uses satellite sensors to map the impacts of extreme heat, air pollution and flooding. Another target was a University of Oklahoma study to develop digital twin simulations that predict the impact of flooding on tribal lands.

However, it is unclear why NASA has ended support for other research, such as using bioengineering cells to investigate how spaceflight affects the human body and modelling how lunar dust can contaminate future lunar missions.

NASA spokesman Bethany Stevens said New Scientist The agency is “to work with the Ministry of Government Efficiency initiative to optimize the workforce and resources.” Doge urged agencies across the US government to cut funding or shut down altogether.

But it says that ongoing grants and contract cancellations will fly in the face of a “strict” review process that selected them in the first place as “the most scientifically appropriate proposal.” Michael Batario At Yale University. “Politics cannot and should not define what is scientifically worth studying at the level of individual grants,” says Batario, who is studying the atmosphere of Mars and Titan in preparation for future missions.

“DEI related cuts get me the most out of the way.” Bruce Jacoski He was the lead scientist at NASA’s Maven Mission to Mars at the University of Colorado, Boulder. “These grants are about reaching out to underrepresented groups and making people accessible to training and education. None of them appears to promote people who are less qualified than more qualified.”

For example, NASA cut funding for a conference hosted by the National Association of Black Physicists, a longtime nonprofit that promotes the professional well-being of African-American physicists and physics students. “We were told that the reason for cancelling the contract is to comply with the president’s executive order regarding the DEI,” he said. Stephen Robersonpresident of the National Association of Black Physics. “We would like to appeal this decision and explain further why an annual conference, in which people of all races and academic levels present scientific research, is considered a DEI.”

New Scientist They reached out to researchers and organizations that they thought were affected, but few responded to the National Association of Black Physicists. The San Diego Aerospace Museum, featured on Drayer’s list, said NASA’s funding for educational events appears to be still intact, despite the NASA database indicating changes to the grant’s end date. NASA did not respond to requests to verify the status of this fund.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

NOAA cancels monthly calls for climate and weather updates

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Staff cuts have impacted work at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says it will “stop” monthly calls to update reporters on seasonal weather forecasts and global climate conditions.

A NOAA spokesman says recent cuts, resignation and resignation under President Donald Trump's control have led to staffing issues that have led to agents “no longer able to support them.” But they say every month Report It will be edited and continued to be published by the National Center for Environmental Information, operated by NOAA.

He says another reason the agency is closing calls could be due to fear of employees violating the new administration by talking about climate change. Tom Di RivatoNOAA's genius scientist and public relations specialist who was fired during widespread cuts in February. “They don't want to get stuck between telling the truth and then riding on the wrong side of a political appointee,” he says.

During the monthly call, NOAA scientists will provide you with updates on a variety of predictions and measurements the agency has created. In addition to information on global land and ocean temperatures, the description includes information on seasonal weather forecasts and droughts in the United States. These calls also give reporters the opportunity to ask questions to help them better understand new information.

In past briefings, researchers openly discussed the role of human-induced climate change in driving at record high temperatures. But last month's call – first held under the new administration – NOAA researchers declined to mention climate change when discussing record global temperatures in January. The call ended later New Scientist We asked the researchers directly to see what role climate change played at high temperatures.

Di Liberto says the agency has not explicitly directed researchers, let alone climate change. However, he knows from his current contact with staff there is an atmosphere of fear about saying the wrong thing.

“It's a fear of being cut, but I'm also afraid that the work they're doing is trying to help people, or that they're being told they can't say what they can say based on science,” he says.

Since January, the administration has fired almost 1,000 people from government agencies, and hundreds more have resigned. The government is It reportedly plans to cut more than 1,000 employeesone-tenth of the agency's workforce.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk refutes claims of donating $45 million monthly to Trump Super PAC

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has denied reports that surfaced last week that he plans to donate $45 million a month to a super PAC working to elect President Donald Trump.

Musk appeared on Jordan Peterson’s show on Tuesday and said the allegations were “simply not true.” “I’m not giving $45 million a month to Donald Trump,” he said.


“What I’ve done is I’ve created a pack, or a super pack, or whatever you want to call it,” he said. “It’s called the America Pack.”

Super PACs (short for political action committees) are independent political organizations that allow donors to give unlimited amounts, but there are contribution limits on individuals and organizations other than super PACs.

After his interview with Peterson, Musk Reply “Yeah right,” he commented on a clip of X’s interview, as well as another tweet addressing the reports. To tell“Yeah, that’s ridiculous. I donate some money to America PAC, but at a much lower level. The PAC’s core values ​​are supporting meritocracy and individual liberty. Republicans are largely, but not entirely, on the side of meritocracy and liberty.”

The denial came days after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who has enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination in August.

Also on Tuesday, The New York Times report The super PAC employed former staffers from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign. “The super PAC has created an air of mystery around Trump, with other outside groups knowing almost nothing about its plans,” the Times reported.

But aides to DeSantis’ initial campaign manager, Genera Peck, and Phil Cox, former chairman of the Republican Governors Association, said the campaign was seeking to become one of the major groups supporting Trump, which could help increase its legitimacy within the Republican establishment.

“It’s about promoting the principles that made America great in the first place,” Musk said on Peterson’s show. “I wouldn’t say I’m, like, a MAGA,” he added, referring to Trump’s catchphrase. “I think America is great. I’m more of a MAG, someone who makes America greater.”

Musk did not disclose how much he plans to donate to the PAC.

AmericaPac already has the backing of Musk’s friends and allies in the tech industry, the Times reported. reportJoe Lonsdale, who co-founded the software company Palantir with Peter Thiel, Major Political Donors President Trump’s new running mate is Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio.

The Winklevoss twins, crypto entrepreneurs who have accused Joe Biden of waging a war on cryptocurrencies through regulation, have also contributed to the effort, The Wall Street Journal reports. reportIn June, they praised Trump as a “pro-Bitcoin, pro-crypto and pro-business.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk to Donate $45 Million Monthly to Pro-Trump Super PAC, Sources Say

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According to The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk has announced plans to donate $45 million per month from July onwards to support a super PAC working towards the election of Donald Trump.

Musk, a tech billionaire who recently endorsed Trump, has already made a substantial donation to America PAC. The exact amount of this donation will be revealed in election filings on July 15, as per Bloomberg.

Reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg are based on anonymous sources familiar with Musk’s plans. With an estimated net worth of $252 billion, Musk is considered one of the wealthiest individuals globally.

The potential donation from Musk is described as “tremendous” by The Wall Street Journal, highlighting that the largest known donation in the 2024 election cycle so far is $50 million. This amount was contributed by the great-grandson of banker Thomas Mellon to a pro-Trump super PAC.

As of June 30, there were no records of Musk donating to the super PAC, according to a review by The New York Times.

America PAC has garnered support from Musk’s tech industry associates, as reported by The New York Times. Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir with Peter Thiel, has also endorsed the PAC, along with the Winklevoss twins, crypto entrepreneurs critical of Biden’s policies.

America PAC, launched recently, aims to finance robust Republican voter mobilization initiatives in key states to counter Democratic efforts, according to The New York Times.

Contrary to earlier reports, Musk clarified in a tweet in March that he had not made any donations to U.S. presidential candidates.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Monthly Futures Spread Trading Volume on OKX Liquid Marketplace Skyrockets to Record-High $1.54 Billion, Surpassing September Performance

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OKX a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 technology company, today announced: futures spread trading volume Moreover liquid marketplace, a spot OTC, futures spread and options liquidity network, reached a monthly high of USD 1.54 billion in September 2023. This achievement is 62%* Institutional market share of futures spreads for the current month.

From July 2023 onwards launch OKX Accumulation of Nitro Spread, a venue for institutional investors to execute basis, futures spread, and funding rate arbitrage strategies under OKX’s Liquid Marketplace futures spread amount It led the market from August 28, 2023 to October 11, 2023.

OKX futures spread volume was also strong on the “high watermark” volume days, with OKX futures spread notional volume increasing four times within the date range (September 12th, September 19th). , September 28, and October 10) crossed the 100 million USDT mark. 2023).

These volume milestones solidify OKX’s position liquid marketplace The go-to place for institutional investors looking to take advantage of superior liquidity in a wide range of trades including futures spreads, spot OTC basis, options and more.

OKX Chief Commercial Officer Lennix Lai said: “The latest futures spread volume figures confirm that the OKX Liquid Marketplace is a diverse ecosystem of counterparties pursuing a variety of trading strategies, making it the trading venue of choice for institutional traders. We have worked hard to develop the products, liquidity, and intuitive trading features that traders demand in a highly competitive market environment. We will adapt it to the needs of customers and further expand our customer base.”

Since its launch in July 2023, OKX has announced on October 6th nitro spread Cumulative trading volume exceeded 2 billion USDT.

Nitro Spreads is a place for institutional investors to execute advanced strategies and efficiently drive delta rolls on OKX’s liquid marketplace. Nitro spreads allow both legs of a trade to be executed through a central order book, minimizing leg risk between markets and providing increased capital efficiency for institutional traders. Traders can also select a guaranteed spread for a trade before execution to reduce unexpected price slippage. The transaction is then matched and settled immediately.

*sauce: Lavitas

OKX is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and innovative Web3 company. Trusted by over 50 million users worldwide, OKX is known as the fastest and most reliable crypto trading app for traders around the world.

As a top partner for English Premier League champions Manchester City FC, McLaren F1, Olympian Scotty James and Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, OKX aims to enhance the fan experience with new engagement opportunities. OKX is also a top partner of the Tribeca His Festival as part of its efforts to bring more creators to his Web3.

OKX Wallet is the platform’s newest offering for those who want to explore the world of NFTs and the Metaverse while trading GameFi and DeFi tokens.

OKX is committed to transparency and security, and we publish the evidence every month.

To learn more about OKX, download the app or visit: okx.com

Disclaimer

This announcement is provided for informational purposes only. This is not intended to provide investment, tax, or legal advice, nor should it be considered an offer to buy, sell, hold, or offer any services related to digital assets. Digital assets, including stablecoins, involve a high degree of risk, can be highly volatile, and may even become worthless. Leveraged trading of digital assets magnifies both your potential profits and potential losses and can result in a loss of your entire investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you, especially if you are considering the use of leverage. You are solely responsible for your trading strategies and

Source: the-blockchain.com