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RFK Jr. was on the losing side of California vaccine fights. Now, Trump wants him in his cabinetControlling matter at the atomic level December 3, 2024 University of Bath Physicists are getting closer to controlling single-molecule chemical reactions -- could this shape the future of pharmaceutical research? Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Controlling matter at the atomic level has taken a major step forward, thanks to groundbreaking nanotechnology research by an international team of scientists led by physicists at the University of Bath. This advancement has profound implications for fundamental scientific understanding. It is also likely to have important practical applications, such as transforming the way researchers develop new medications. Controlling single-outcome single-molecule reactions is now almost routine in research laboratories across the world. For example, over a decade ago, researchers from the technology giant IBM showcased their ability to manipulate individual atoms by creating A boy and his atom , the world's smallest movie. In the film, single molecules, consisting of two atoms bonded together, were magnified 100-million times and positioned frame-by-frame to tell a stop-motion story on an atomic scale. Achieving control over chemical reactions with multiple outcomes, however, has remained elusive. This matters because generally only some outcomes of a chemical reaction are useful. For instance, during drug synthesis, a chemical process that results in 'cyclisation' produces the desired therapeutic compound, however 'polymerisation', another outcome, leads to unwanted byproducts. Being able to precisely control reactions to favour desired outcomes and reduce unwanted byproducts promises to improve the efficiency and sustainability of pharmaceutical processes. Scanning tunnelling microscopy The new study, published today in the journal Nature Communications , set out to demonstrate for the first time that competing chemical reaction outcomes can be influenced by using the atomic resolution of a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). Conventional microscopes use light and lenses to magnify specimens, allowing us to view them with the naked eye or a camera. However, when it comes to atoms and molecules, which are smaller than even the shortest wavelengths of visible light, traditional methods fall short. To explore these tiny realms, scientists turn to a scanning tunnelling microscope, which operates much like a record player. With a tip that can be as fine as a single atom, scanning tunnelling microscopes move across a material's surface, measuring properties such as electric current to map each point. However, rather than pressing the tip into the surface like a record player needle, the tip hovers just a single atom's width above it. When connected to a power source, electrons travel down the tip and make a quantum leap across the atom-sized gap. The closer the tip is to the surface, the stronger the current; the farther away it is, the weaker the current. This well-defined relationship between tip distance and current allows the microscope to measure and map the surface of the atom or molecule based on the electric current strength. As the tip sweeps across the surface, it builds a precise, line-by-line image of the surface, revealing details invisible to conventional light microscopes. Single-molecule reactions Using the atomic precision of a scanning tunnelling microscope, scientists can go beyond mapping the surface of a molecule -- they can both reposition single atoms and molecules, and influence and measure the likelihood of specific reaction pathways in individual molecules. Explaining, Dr Kristina Rusimova, who led the study, said: "Typically, STM technology is employed to reposition individual atoms and molecules, enabling targeted chemical interactions, yet the ability to direct reactions with competing outcomes remained a challenge. These different outcomes happen with certain probabilities governed by quantum mechanics -- rather like rolling a molecular die. "Our latest research demonstrates that STM can control the probability of reaction outcomes by selectively manipulating charge states and specific resonances through targeted energy injection." Dr Peter Sloan, senior lecturer in the Department of Physics and co-author of the study, said: "We used the STM tip to inject electrons into toluene molecules, prompting the breaking of chemical bonds and either a shift to a nearby site, or desorption. "We found that the ratio of these two outcomes was controlled by the energy of the electrons injected. This energy dependence allowed us to achieve control over the probability of each reaction outcome through the targeted "heating" of an intermediate molecular state, guided by precise energy thresholds and molecular barriers." PhD student Pieter Keenan, first-author on the research publication, said: "The key here was to maintain identical initial conditions for the test reactions -- matching the precise injection site and excitation state -- and then vary outcomes based solely on the energy of the injected electrons. "Within a single molecule's response to the energy input, the differing reaction barriers drive the reaction outcome probabilities. Altering only the energy input allows us, with high precision, to make a reaction outcome more likely than another -- in this way we can 'load the molecular dice'." Professor Tillmann Klamroth from Potsdam University in Germany, added: "This study combines advanced theoretical modelling with experimental precision, leading to a pioneering understanding of the reactions' probabilities based on the molecular energy landscape. This paves the way for further advances in nanotechnology." Looking ahead, Dr Rusimova said: "With applications in both basic and applied science, this advancement represents a major step toward fully programmable molecular systems. We expect techniques such as this to unlock new frontiers in molecular manufacturing, opening doors to innovations in medicine, clean energy, and beyond." The research is published in the journal Nature Communications. It was funded by The Royal Society, and the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC). Story Source: Materials provided by University of Bath . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :When President Joe Biden visited Angola last week, one of the highlights was his pledge of hundreds of millions of dollars for an ambitious trans-Africa rail project that would bring copper and cobalt from central Africa to the Atlantic port of Lobito. The project is possible because of the commitment of a $553 million direct loan from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, created in 2019 during the first Trump administration to counter China 's expansion of its global reach through infrastructure projects, such as the mega-port in Chancay, Peru, inaugurated just last month. On Monday, the U.S. agency celebrated its five-year milestone by vowing to advance U.S. foreign policy and strategic interests through projects around the world such as the one in Angola. It also seeks re-authorization from Congress and a greater ability to invest in more countries when there's a strategic need to compete with China. “We need to be good partners while offering an alternative based on our values," said Scott Nathan, the chief executive officer of the development agency, who was in Angola last week with the president. “Quite simply, we need to continue to show up.” Nathan is set to leave the post. President-elect Donald Trump is yet to name his pick to lead the agency. Over its first five years, the agency has developed a portfolio of more than $50 billion in 114 countries, including solar panel manufacturing in India, a power plant in Sierra Leone, and digital infrastructure in South America. To do that, the agency has leveraged government funding to partner with private investments. Last year, the agency committed to $12 billion in new transactions, using the roughly $800 million in appropriations, Nathan said. Investments by the agency are having a “transformational impact on economic development while concretely advancing U.S. strategic interests,” Nathan said. In Angola, for example, the rail project would help secure the supply chain by cutting both time and cost in transporting critical minerals. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the agency was created when the U.S. was “ceding the field" to China in a new era of geopolitics. The U.S. needed a vision “calibrated to new geopolitical realities” and that matched ”the scope of the transformational challenges we faced.” It was in 2013 when Beijing launched the massive Belt and Road Initiative to gain markets and influence around the world by building roads, railways, power plants, transmission lines and ports, usually in less-developed regions. A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office said China provided $679 billion for international infrastructure projects such as those in transportation and energy between 2013 and 2021, compared with the $76 billion the U.S. provided in the same period. Western politicians have criticized these Beijing-backed projects for creating debt traps, but Beijing argues that they have brought tangible and much-needed economic benefits to the host countries. In 2018, Congress passed a bipartisan bill that created the U.S. development agency, aimed at bringing private investments into low- and middle-income countries through tools such as equity investment, loan guarantee and political risk insurance. On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the agency for “reimagining how the U.S. does development” and said, through its work, the U.S. has “shown countries that they don't have to resort to projects that are poorly built, environmentally destructive, that import or abuse workers, that foster corruption or burden countries with unsustainable debt.” "We really are the partner of choice,” Blinken said. As challenges lie ahead, Blinken said the agency needs to do even more and in more countries than before.bet68 casino 。

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Though the game was actually pretty competitive for prolonged stretches on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings imposed their will in the final quarter to run away with a 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons. ADVERTISEMENT It was a masterful performance from Sam Darnold in a game against the man he replaced. It wasn’t as good of a game for Kirk Cousins as he struggled to make much of an impact against his former team. Here are five takeaways from the Vikings’ 42-21 win over the Falcons: There were audible “MVP! MVP! MVP!” chants as the game between the Vikings and Falcons wound to a close. They were for Darnold, who completed 22 of 28 passes for 347 yards and five touchdowns, proving that the Vikings are legitimate Super Bowl contenders with him at the helm. There aren’t many quarterbacks in the NFL that have played better than Darnold over the past month. In that span, Darnold has completed 85 of 125 passes for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns, while leading the Vikings to a 4-0 record. ADVERTISEMENT Will he actually win MVP? Not likely. Does he deserve to be in the conversation? Absolutely. Never mind that Cousins put up some prolific numbers, completing 23 of 37 passes for 344 yards. He also threw a pair of interceptions and failed to keep the game competitive. There were countless games while he was playing for the Vikings that featured a similar script. It was commonplace for Cousins to pad his stats in garbage time of a game that he had no chance of winning. Now, that’s a problem the Falcons are navigating in real time. After some strong play from Cousins earlier this season, he has regressed over the past month, and as a result, the Falcons have an 0-4 record in that span. ADVERTISEMENT The dynamic duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison rewrote the record books for the Vikings in the win over the Falcons. They became the only players in franchise history to each record more than 100 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns in the same game. That’s an insane stat considering Randy Moss and Cris Carter played together as did Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. In total, Jefferson finished with seven catches for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Addison finished with eight catches for 133 yards and a trio of touchdowns. ADVERTISEMENT After being held in check last time out, Aaron Jones bounced back with a solid effort for the Vikings against the Falcons. He was extremely effective carrying the ball and finished with 13 rushes for 73 yards and a touchdown. The fact that Jones was able to find pay dirt late in the game was a nice reward for him, considering he was an unsung hero on offense. As explosive as the Vikings proved to be throughout the air, Jones provided a nice changeup on the ground, which helped in chewing up clock down the stretch. As somebody who had a lot of success in the final month of last season, Jones is well on his way to replicating that this season. Though the defense for the Vikings struggled at times, allowing nearly 500 yards of total offense, it also stepped up a couple of times to force key turnovers. ADVERTISEMENT Whether it was Josh Metellus recording an interception early, or Byron Murphy with an interception late, the defense needed both of them to help turn the tide in the game. There was also an important forced fumble from Brian Asamoah on special teams that ended up being recovered by C.J. Ham. On the flip side, the Vikings did not turn the ball over on offense, which helped them pull away in the final frame. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

Mikael Thalen is a tech and security reporter covering social media, data breaches, hackers, and more.HOUSTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Oilfield service companies ramped up hiring in November, adding 1,890 jobs in the sector, according to data from trade group Energy Workforce & Technology Council released on Monday. Oilfield service hiring can serve as an indicator of the health of the sector. Companies bringing on more employees could imply more drilling to come. Total jobs in the U.S. energy services sector rose to 655,630 in November, up from 654,062 in October, the data showed. In Texas, home of the prolific Permian basin which accounts for just under half of national oil production, 765 jobs were added, bringing the state's total to 319,489. President-elect Donald Trump promised voters lower fuel prices, pledging to ramp up domestic production in his "dril, baby, drill" campaign. But in practical terms, Trump cannot fully control prices . And producers broadly remain focused on capital discipline over new drilling. Sign up here. Reporting by Georgina McCartney in Houston; Editing by Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

NoneTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A state attorney in Florida told his staff he can't legally help his elected replacement take over his seat because Gov. Ron DeSantis had already suspended the Democrat from the office, according to an internal email obtained by The Associated Press. An executive order issued by DeSantis in 2023 suspending then-State Attorney Monique Worrell from office is still in effect, argued state attorney Andrew Bain in a message sent to staff on Monday. The governor appointed Bain to the 9th Judicial Circuit to replace Worrell, who beat him in last month's election to retake the Orlando metro area's top prosecutor's office. “While I accept the results of the election and wish to do everything I can to ensure the Office is successful going forward, I do not yet feel I can assist her in that transition,” Bain wrote. Worrell's new term is slated to begin Jan. 7, 2025. She is one of two elected state attorneys, both Democrats, who DeSantis has removed from office. DeSantis said Worrell failed to prosecute minors and didn’t seek mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes, putting her central Florida district in danger. She disputed his criticism as false and politically driven . DeSantis and other Republicans across the U.S. have called Democratic prosecutors' decisions into question. Bain said in the email shared with the AP that Worrell's suspension must be resolved by either another executive order by DeSantis or a decision by the Florida Senate, which reviews the cases of elected officials suspended from office. “Without one of these things, I do not feel I can lawfully assist in a transition to an individual whose lawful suspension was affirmed by the Florida Supreme Court ,” Bain wrote. “We are living through an unprecedented legal event without clear answers.” Representatives for Bain did not respond to phone and email inquiries from the AP. A statement posted to the state attorney's website Monday appeared to contradict Bain's message to staff. “The state attorney is ready and willing to ensure a smooth transition,” reads a message released by the agency's public information office. “The state attorney’s term ends Jan. 6, 2025, and he will no longer be in office. Ms. Worrell’s term will begin Jan. 7, 2025. It is the intent of the state attorney to enforce the will of the people.” Worrell criticized Bain's statements as a “betrayal of democratic principles” and argued that the executive order suspending her expired with the 2024 election. “No executive order, no political maneuver, and certainly no personal grievance can override the will of the people,” Worrell said in a statement. “Any delay in the transition process is a direct affront to the very people this office serves.” A spokesperson for DeSantis pointed to the statement released by the state attorney's public information office and didn't respond to other questions from the AP. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.Maryland is suing the company that produces the waterproof material Gore-Tex often used for raincoats and other outdoor gear, alleging its leaders kept using “forever chemicals” long after learning about serious health risks associated with them. The complaint, which was filed last week in federal court, focuses on a cluster of 13 facilities in northeastern Maryland operated by Delaware-based W.L. Gore & Associates. It alleges the company polluted the air and water around its facilities with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances , jeopardizing the health of surrounding communities while raking in profits. The lawsuit adds to other claims filed in recent years, including a class action on behalf of Cecil County residents in 2023 demanding Gore foot the bill for water filtration systems, medical bills and other damages associated with decades of harmful pollution in the largely rural community. “PFAS are linked to cancer, weakened immune systems, and can even harm the ability to bear children,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement. “It is unacceptable for any company to knowingly contaminate our drinking water with these toxins, putting Marylanders at risk of severe health conditions.” Gore spokesperson Donna Leinwand Leger said the company is “surprised by the Maryland Attorney General’s decision to initiate legal action, particularly in light of our proactive and intensive engagement with state regulators over the past two years.” “We have been working with Maryland, employing the most current, reliable science and technology to assess the potential impact of our operations and guide our ongoing, collaborative efforts to protect the environment,” the company said in a statement, noting a Dec. 18 report that contains nearly two years of groundwater testing results. But attorney Philip Federico, who represents plaintiffs in the class action and other lawsuits against Gore, called the company’s efforts “too little, much too late.” In the meantime, he said, residents are continuing to suffer — one of his clients was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. “It’s typical corporate environmental contamination,” he said. “They’re in no hurry to fix the problem.” The synthetic chemicals are especially harmful because they’re nearly indestructible and can build up in various environments, including the human body. In addition to cancers and immune system problems, exposure to certain levels of PFAS has been linked to increased cholesterol levels, reproductive health issues and developmental delays in children, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Gore leaders failed to warn people living near its Maryland facilities about the potential impacts, hoping to protect their corporate image and avoid liability, according to the state’s lawsuit. The result has been “a toxic legacy for generations to come,” the lawsuit alleges. Since the chemicals are already in the local environment, protecting residents now often means installing complex and expensive water filtration systems. People with private wells have found highly elevated levels of dangerous chemicals in their water, according to the class action lawsuit. The Maryland facilities are located in a rural area just across the border from Delaware, where Gore has become a longtime fixture in the community. The company, which today employs more than 13,000 people, was founded in 1958 after Wilbert Gore left the chemical giant DuPont to start his own business. Its profile rose with the development of Gore-Tex , a lightweight waterproof material created by stretching polytetrafluoroethylene, which is better known by the brand name Teflon that’s used to coat nonstick pans. The membrane within Gore-Tex fabric has billions of pores that are smaller than water droplets, making it especially effective for outdoor gear. The state’s complaint traces Gore’s longstanding relationship with DuPont , arguing that information about the chemicals' dangers was long known within both companies as they sought to keep things quiet and boost profits. It alleges that as early as 1961, DuPont scientists knew the chemical caused adverse liver reactions in rats and dogs. DuPont has faced widespread litigation in recent years. Along with two spinoff companies, it announced a $1.18 billion deal last year to resolve complaints of polluting many U.S. drinking water systems with forever chemicals. The Maryland lawsuit seeks to hold Gore responsible for costs associated with the state’s ongoing investigations and cleanup efforts, among other damages. State oversight has ramped up following litigation from residents alleging their drinking water was contaminated. Until then, the company operated in Cecil County with little scrutiny. Gore announced in 2014 that it had eliminated perfluorooctanoic acid from the raw materials used to create Gore-Tex. But it’s still causing long-term impacts because it persists for so long in the environment, attorneys say. Over the past two years, Gore has hired an environmental consulting firm to conduct testing in the area and provided bottled water and water filtration systems to residents near certain Maryland facilities, according to a webpage describing its efforts. Recent testing of drinking water at residences near certain Gore sites revealed perfluorooctanoic acid levels well above what the EPA considers safe, according to state officials. Attorneys for the state acknowledged Gore’s ongoing efforts to investigate and address the problem but said the company needs to step up and be a better neighbor. “While we appreciate Gore’s limited investigation to ascertain the extent of PFAS contamination around its facilities, much more needs to be done to protect the community and the health of residents,” Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain said in a statement. “We must remove these forever chemicals from our natural resources urgently, and we expect responsible parties to pay for this remediation.”

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year so far. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Jayden Daniels and the offense stalling have the Commanders on a three-game losing streakState Board of Education approves Bible-infused curriculum