FDA approves first tests to screen for tickborne parasite in whole blood and plasma to protect the U.S. blood supply

Washington, DC - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the Imugen Babesia microti Arrayed Fluorescent Immunoassay (AFIA), for the detection of antibodies to Babesia microti (B. microti) in human plasma samples, and the Imugen Babesia microti Nucleic Acid Test (NAT), for the detection of B. microti DNA in human whole blood samples. These tests are intended to be used as donor screening tests on samples from individual human donors, including volunteer donors of whole blood and blood components, as well as living organ and tissue donors.

Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division Announces New Roundtable Series on Competition and Deregulation

Washington, DC - The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division will hold a series of three public roundtable discussions to explore the relationship between competition and regulation, and its implications for antitrust enforcement policy. The first roundtable will occur on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST. The tentative agenda of the first roundtable can be found below.

U.S.-Republic of Korea Special Measures Agreement Consultations

Washington, DC - Representatives from the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will meet in Honolulu, Hawaii March 7-9 for the first round of consultations to develop the 10th Special Measures Agreement (SMA), which will enter into force in 2019. Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations and Agreements Timothy Betts from the Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs will lead the U.S. delegation, which includes representatives from the Department of State and the Department of Defense. Ambassador Chang Won-sam, Special Representative for SMA Consultations, will lead the ROK delegation, which includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense.

Trump’s infrastructure plan brings needed attention for improvements

Washington, DC - Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and Transportation Secretary Mike Patterson: “Trump’s infrastructure plan brings needed attention for improvements”.

Seeing the brain's electrical activity

Cambridge, Massachusetts - Neurons in the brain communicate via rapid electrical impulses that allow the brain to coordinate behavior, sensation, thoughts, and emotion. Scientists who want to study this electrical activity usually measure these signals with electrodes inserted into the brain, a task that is notoriously difficult and time-consuming.