Month: July 2021

German scientists have developed nanobodies that effectively block the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its dangerous new variants and, at the same time, are a thousand times superior to analogues created previously. This is stated in an article published in The EMBO Journal.

Since nanobodies can be produced in large quantities and at low cost, if clinical trials are successful, the agent will be able to meet the global demand for therapeutic drugs against COVID-19, the researchers say.

Nanobodies are smaller versions of antibodies that bind to and neutralize viruses and other infectious agents. Mini-antibodies, or VHH, are directed against the S protein of the coronavirus, which is involved in the binding of the virus to receptors on the surface of the infected cell and its subsequent penetration. & Nbsp; Nanobodies block the receptor-binding domain of the coronavirus and prevent infection.

It is noteworthy that the scientists to create nanobodies immunized three alpacas to produce mini-antibodies against the S protein. After that, blood samples were taken and about a billion different antibodies have been isolated. Then, with the help of bacteriophages, 45 of the most effective molecules were selected. Subsequently, the nanobodies were tested for their effectiveness in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 and preventing the virus from replicating in cells.

In addition, scientists built various structures from of nanobodies. Previously, it had been reported that a doctor in the United States was facing 20 years for fake vaccines.

There was also information that & nbsp; the effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine fell to 84% in six months.

Источник aif.ru

The Moscow court fined Google 3 million rubles for violating Russian legislation in the field of personal data, reports RIA Novosti.

It is reported that Google LLC has been found guilty of an administrative offense, provided for by Part 8 of Art. 13.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

In particular, the company has not fulfilled its obligations to ensure registration, systematization, accumulation, storage, clarification (update , modification) or the recovery of personal data of Russian citizens using databases in the country.

Note that this is the first such fine imposed on Google.

Meanwhile, in 2020, Facebook and Twitter were fined RUB 4 million for similar offenses.

Earlier in France, & nbsp; Google was fined 500 million euros for failing to comply with a number of court orders from April 2020. Previously, the French competition regulator fined the company € 220 million for promoting its own services in the online advertising industry.

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A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck off the coast of the US state of Alaska, a tsunami threat has been declared, reports RIA Novosti. & nbsp;

According to the American Center for Natural Disaster Prevention (NWS), the epicenter of the natural phenomenon was located 91 kilometers southeast of the metropolitan area of ​​Perryville (789 kilometers Anchorage).

As the seismologists noted, the center of the earthquake was at a depth of 46.7 kilometers. & nbsp; Tremors were recorded at 06:15 UTC (09:15 Moscow time). & Nbsp; At first it was around 7.3, then it was increased to 8.1, then to & mdash; 8.2.

Information on possible destruction and victims is not specified.

Earlier on July 29, it was reported that an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 on the Richter scale had been & nbsp; registered & nbsp; in Kamchatka. & Nbsp; According to representatives of the regional GU EMERCOM of Russia, local residents did not feel any tremors, there were no casualties and no destruction.

On the morning of July 28, a 3.1 magnitude earthquake also occurred in the Pacific Ocean near the Kuril Islands.

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Trace of a novel coronavirus pandemic that has spread from China

The effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccine companies & nbsp; Pfizer-BioNTech six months after introducing second dose of drug to patients decreased from 96% to 84%, Interfax reports

Over 44,000 people in the study from the United States and Europe. It should be noted that 81 people fell ill with the coronavirus, including 873 of those who received a placebo.

According to the results of the study, the maximum effectiveness is & mdash; 96.2% & mdash; the vaccine reaches two months after taking the second dose.

Recall that recently, the pharmaceutical regulator of the FDA in the United States announced the extension of the accompanying documentation for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Warnings for myocarditis or pericarditis have been added to the documents.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) Safety Committee has updated the recommendations on side effects of Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

The regulator reports in its report that these drugs in extremely rare cases can lead to myocarditis and pericarditis. In this regard, it is recommended to add these diseases to the list of side effects.

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Intrigue The case concerning the ex-boss of Mari El Markelov

The regional court of Nizhny Novgorod n & # 39; failed to satisfy the lawyers for Mari El's former boss Leonid Markelov and confirmed his 13-year prison sentence and multi-million dollar fine.

At the end of February this year, the Nizhny Novgorod District Court sentenced Markelov to 13 years in prison for accepting a bribe, abuse of power and illegal possession of ammunition, as well as 39; to a fine of 235 million rubles.

The property of the ex-civil servant in the amount of more than 2 billion rubles, including apartments, valuables and paintings, were confiscated from the receipts state.

After today's verdict from the regional court, lawyer Leonid Markelov announced that the verdict will be constitutionally challenged, TASS reports.

Furthermore, the verdict remained unchanged with respect to two other defendants in the Markelov case. They are the ex-minister of agriculture of the republic, who received 3.5 years in prison for abuse of power, and the managing director of one of the companies television station Mari, convicted of mediating corruption and sentenced to eight years in prison and fined 235 million rubles.

Источник aif.ru

Senior researcher at the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences Georgy Goncharov in an interview with & nbsp; & laquo; Moscow & nbsp; 24 & raquo; assessed the danger of asteroids passing through Earth orbit.

Earlier, the UN warned that the planet could potentially be threatened by more than 25,000 such objects.

Goncharov said that most of the small asteroids are inaccessible for observation, so their collision with the Earth's surface is almost impossible to predict at home. ;advance. As an example, the scientist cited the Chelyabinsk meteorite. & Nbsp;

At the same time, Gontcharov believes that one should not fear disasters with large asteroids.

“ An asteroid 100 kilometers long will not go unnoticed. Even a kilometer long will not go unnoticed & ndash; the money gets paid, people work on it. The border passes somewhere in the area of ​​100 meters in size & ndash; we can optimistically say that we will also see the asteroid 100 meters ahead, “he added.

Recall that previous scientists were talking of an asteroid from another solar system.

AiF.ru also explained how the age of meteorites is calculated.

Источник aif.ru

The head of the laboratory of the Hydrometeorological Center of the Russian Federation Lyudmila Parshina said that the weather during the last month of summer in almost all of Russia will be warmer than usual , writes the Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

According to her, in the central regions 20-26 degrees are expected during the day, plus 10-15 degrees at night. Although some days can be hot when temperatures exceed & nbsp; 30 degrees.

In the metro area, August is expected to be two degrees warmer than usual. At night, mainly 12-17 degrees, and during the day the air will warm up to 22-27 degrees.

Much rains are expected in the north-west of Europe & mdash; in the Leningrad, Pskov and Novgorod regions. Frequent rains are also forecast in the north of the Murmansk region, in the Nenets district.

Earlier, the scientific director of the Hydrometeorological Center of the Russian Federation, Roman Vilfand, said rainy weather would come to the center of the European part of Russia on Wednesday, which will remain until Wednesday; at the end of July. He noted that the weather, despite the precipitation, will be hot. & Nbsp;

The forecaster also clarified that from the second half of Thursday the clouds will be less, and the sun & mdash; more. & nbsp;

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Since July 26, Roskomnadzor has restricted access not only to the websites of extremist organizations banned in the Russian Federation, such as the Anti-Corruption Foundation and the Foundation for the Protection of Citizens' Rights. and the Navalny headquarters movement, but also to related pages on social media.

The ministry explained that Twitter's obligation to block the account of lawyer FBK Lyubov Sobol is due to the fact that at the request of the Attorney General's office of the Federation from Russia, access should be limited to the social media sites and accounts of these organizations, their regional divisions and their organizers.

As noted by the RKN, calls for mass riots, participation in unauthorized events and the implementation of extremist activity have been posted on these sites and accounts. TASS.

Previously, it was reported that Roskomnadzor restricted access to the website of blogger Alexei Navalny, who is serving a criminal sentence. In addition, based on the request of the Attorney General's office, the department blocked access to portals associated with organizations created by Navalny.

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Head of state Vladimir Putin called this unacceptable for schools across the country which are in poor condition. The president said so during a September 1 preparations meeting.

The Russian leader recalled that by 2026 a major school overhaul program is expected to appear in the country. Putin stressed that the Cabinet of Ministers must prepare this program by the end of this year with the allocation of the necessary funds.

& nbsp; “ We have 39,600 schools, and they use buildings and structures, there are only 67,500, of which about 10 percent need major repairs, and less than one percent – a little, but, nevertheless, it is unacceptable – schools are in bad shape, “quoted RIA Novosti, citing the country's leader as said.

In the new school year, around 17 million students will go to the country, reports TASS. According to Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov, around 6,000 schools have already been accepted before the school year, this work is expected to be completed by August 20. The head of the department also noted that the ministry will ensure that schools comply with all of Rospotrebnadzor's archaic requirements.

Last week, Vladimir Putin congratulated & nbsp; Russian schoolchildren who became the winners of the International Physics Olympiad.

On Wednesday, the state chapter ordered to postpone & nbsp; the start of the implementation of lump sum payments for schoolchildren of 10 thousand rubles from August 16 to August 2, so that parents & nbsp; have more time to prepare for September 1st.

Источник aif.ru