Science X Newsletter Friday, Dec 6

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 6, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Addressing the obstacles preventing the commercialization of lithium-rich layered sulfides

Electronic map reveals 'rules of the road' in superconductor

'Conductor' gene found in plant root stem cell 'orchestra'

Nanocontainer ships titan-size gene therapies and drugs into cells

Reduced soil tilling helps both soils and yields

The surprising individuality of microRNAs

Gaining insight into the energy balance of earthquakes

Current treatment for fungal meningitis is fueling drug resistance

Study shows first signs of cross-talk between RNA surveillance and silencing systems

Research: A country's degree of gender equality can affect men's ability to recognize famous female faces

Novel bioprinter shows potential to speed tissue engineering

Simple machine learning scorecard for seizures is saving lives

Optical switch illuminates cell development

Has physics ever been deterministic?

A nine-enzyme chain-reaction approach for making the HIV drug islatravir

Astronomy & Space news

	Russian supply ship lifts off to International Space Station An automatic Russian supply ship carrying tons of supplies successfully blasted off Friday heading for the International Space Station.
	SpaceX Dragon heads to space station with NASA science A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station after launching at 12:29 p.m. EST today (Dec. 5). Dragon will deliver more than 5,700 pounds of NASA cargo and science investigations, including studies of malting barley in microgravity, the spread of fire, and bone and muscle loss.
	We're using lasers and toaster-sized satellites to beam information faster through space Satellites are becoming increasingly important in our lives, as they help us meet a demand for more data, exchanged at higher speeds. This is why we are exploring new ways of improving satellite communication.
	Research suggests that hibernation is a likely option to make deep space exploration a reality Space travelers sleeping in hibernation chambers before continuing with their missions, whether to go on a trip to Jupiter or hunt down an extraterrestrial creature. The concept was first imagined in the 20th century before making its way to the big screen. Are these images getting hauntingly prophetic?

Technology news

	Addressing the obstacles preventing the commercialization of lithium-rich layered sulfides Anionic redox chemistry is a fairly new research area that could pave the way for the development of more efficient lithium ion-battery cathode materials such as Li-rich layered oxides. So far, however, anionic redox chemistry approaches have been found to have significant limitations, for instance, leading to voltage fade, large hysteresis and sluggish kinetics.
	Opera for Android ushers in new night mode With version 55 of its Android browser, Oslo, Norway-based Opera has a redesigned night mode that "reduces the light pollution caused by your phone to the bare minimum."
	Reducing risk in AI and machine learning-based medical technology Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) are increasingly transforming the healthcare sector. From spotting malignant tumours to reading CT scans and mammograms, AI/ML-based technology is faster and more accurate than traditional devices—or even the best doctors. But along with the benefits come new risks and regulatory challenges.
	New ultra-miniaturized scope less invasive, produces higher quality images Johns Hopkins engineers have created a new lens-free ultra-miniaturized endoscope, the size of a few human hairs in width, that is less bulky and can produce higher quality images.
	Uber reports more than 3,000 sexual assaults on 2018 rides Uber, as part of a long anticipated safety report, revealed that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018.
	DHS retreats on possible facial screening of US citizens The Homeland Security Department is backing away from requiring that U.S. citizens submit to facial-recognition technology when they leave or enter the country.
	AI judges and verdicts via chat app: the brave new world of China's digital courts Artificial-intelligence judges, cyber-courts, and verdicts delivered on chat apps—welcome to China's brave new world of justice spotlighted by authorities this week.
	Who makes better decisions: Humans or robots? Admit it. You rely on navigation apps to help you get around almost every day, whether you drive, take the bus or train, walk, or hike from point A to B.
	This small German town took back the power—and went fully renewable The case for ambitious and transformative environmental policy is being made with increasing fervor and a series of "Green New Deals"—a reference to Roosevelt's economic reform program in the 1930s—have been proposed over the past 12 months in the US, Europe, and the UK. Such policies would involve massive state investment in the development of renewable energy infrastructure, retrofitting buildings to improve energy efficiency, and efficient and high-speed public transport.
	NATO researchers: Social media failing to stop manipulation Social media companies are failing to stop manipulated activity, according to a report Friday by NATO-affiliated researchers who said they were easily able to buy tens of thousands of likes, comments and views on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
	Spotify Wrapped is back: How to see your most-streamed music in 2019 Just weeks after Apple Music rolled out a recap of everything you've done on the app, Spotify is unveiling its annual tool that showcases your most-listened-to tracks of 2019.
	Craigslist: There's finally a mobile app for that on iOS and Android After more than two decades in operation, Craigslist is getting its own mobile apps.
	Facebook's crisis response tools get extended to WhatsApp Facebook is expanding the way people in disaster zones can request help.
	Ford recalls big pickups; tailgates can open unexpectedly Ford Motor Co. is recalling nearly 262,000 heavy-duty pickup trucks in the U.S. and Canada because the tailgates can open unexpectedly.
	Amazon 'thrilled' after Premier League debut Amazon Prime has declared its first foray into the Premier League market a success, saying its coverage of the midweek programme was one of the biggest-ever streaming events in the United Kingdom.
	US probe finds Cambridge Analytica misled Facebook users on data US regulators concluded Friday that British consultancy Cambridge Analytica—at the center of a massive scandal on hijacking of Facebook data—deceived users of the social network about how it collected and handled their personal information.
	State AGs look to head off T-Mobile-Sprint deal in court A high-drama telecom deal is heading to court.
	Amazon blaming Trump over Pentagon contract loss, judge says Amazon is arguing in a court case that President Donald Trump's bias against the company harmed its chances of winning a $10 billion Pentagon contract.
	Designing workplaces with sound disturbances in mind Workplaces are full of sound, most of which is not helpful to workers trying to do their jobs. Scientists are using physics to understand how conversation, music and other ambient noise is experienced by individuals in a variety of work situations.
	Researchers discover new two-dimensional semiconductor Researchers of Valencia Unviersity (UV) have discovered a two-dimensional semiconductor that has its excitons orientated in a novel way, paving the way for the generation of integrated photonic chips.

Medicine & Health news

	Current treatment for fungal meningitis is fueling drug resistance A common first-line treatment approach for cryptococcal meningitis in low-income countries is being compromised by the emergence of drug resistance, new University of Liverpool research warns.
	Simple machine learning scorecard for seizures is saving lives Computer scientists from Duke University and Harvard University have joined with physicians from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Wisconsin to develop a machine learning model that can predict which patients are most at risk of having destructive seizures after suffering a stroke or other brain injury.
	A nine-enzyme chain-reaction approach for making the HIV drug islatravir A collaboration between Merck & Co and Codexis, Inc. has resulted in the development of a nine-enzyme, chain-reaction approach for making the HIV drug islatravir. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes the inspiration for their work and how well the final product turned out. Elaine O'Reilly and James Ryan with University College Dublin have published a Perspective piece in the same journal issue outlining the work by the team and what it represents.
	Study debunks notion that C-section would increase risk of obesity in the child Women who have C-sections are no more likely to have children who develop obesity than women who give birth naturally, according to a large study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, published in the journal PLOS Medicine. The findings contradict several smaller studies that did find an association between C-section deliveries and offspring obesity but did not consider the numerous maternal and prenatal factors that the researchers did in this study.
	Internal brain timers linked with motivation and behavior Time can be measured in many ways: a watch, a sundial, or the body's natural circadian rhythms. But what about the sexual behavior of a fruit fly?
	Empowering mucosal healing with an engineered probiotic About 1.6 million people in the US alone currently have lifelong and incurable Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and 70,000 new cases are diagnosed in the USA each year. IBD patients suffer from pain, extreme discomfort, and many other symptoms caused by continuously relapsing and remitting inflammatory lesions in the layer of cells that lines the intestinal lumen (mucosa). The exact causes for IBD still are poorly understood, but it is clear that a misdirected immune system is at work, and that certain components of the microbial community in our gut, known as the intestinal microbiome, and environmental factors contribute to its destructive forces.
	Scientists use crabs to validate popular method to identify unknown human brain neurons "Being crabby" might have a whole new meaning.
	Leukemia, lymphoma squarely in sights of new class of drugs UT Health San Antonio researchers, working with collaborators at the University of Florida, have discovered a safe and potent next generation of drugs to fight multiple types of leukemia and lymphoma in adults and children. The journal Nature Medicine reported the findings Dec. 2.
	Quarter of Californian adults live in a household with a gun, poll indicates One in four adults in California lives in a household with a gun, including around 1 in 7 (14%) who personally own a firearm, suggest the results of a survey published in the journal Injury Prevention.
	Long-term study finds faster breast cancer radiation treatment as effective as long course A shorter course of higher-dose radiation treatment to part of the breast is showing promise in women with early-stage breast cancer who undergo breast conserving surgery, says a study led by Hamilton researchers.
Patients at risk because NHS hospitals using different record-keeping systems A major survey of medical record keeping in the NHS has revealed critical deficiencies that could risk patients' safety.
Tick box questionnaire could significantly improve esophageal cancer survival rates A simple health questionnaire could be a highly effective tool to pre-screen people for early signs of oesophageal cancer, enabling much earlier diagnosis and treatment, finds a UCL-led study.
	First investigational drug therapy for liver disease NASH awaiting FDA approval Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a chronic liver disease and a leading cause for liver transplantation in the U.S., currently lack an approved drug therapy, but this may soon change. A large Phase III clinical trial designed in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University is the first to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of an oral medication to treat the disease.
	Preterm births more likely when dads live in lower income areas Lifelong lower socioeconomic status of fathers, as defined by early life and adulthood neighborhood income, is a newly identified risk factor for early preterm birth (at less than 34 weeks), according to a study published in Maternal and Child Health Journal. The rate of early preterm births was three times higher when fathers lived in lower income neighborhoods, regardless of the mother's age, marital status, education and race or ethnicity.
	New report shows dramatic health benefits following air pollution reduction Reductions in air pollution yielded fast and dramatic impacts on health-outcomes, as well as decreases in all-cause morbidity, according to findings in "Health Benefits of Air Pollution Reduction," new research published in the American Thoracic Society's journal, Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
	'Junk DNA' affects inherited cancer risk A person's risk of developing cancer is affected by genetic variations in regions of DNA that don't code for proteins, previously dismissed as 'junk DNA', according to new research published in the British Journal of Cancer today.
	A potential Diamond-Blackfan anemia treatment swims into view Zebrafish, besides being popular in aquariums, make good stand-ins for studying human diseases. They share about 70 percent of their genes with humans, and can be studied at a mass scale, enabling scientists to test hundreds, even thousands of drugs at a time simply by adding the drug to their water.
	Half of WHO-recommended policies to reduce chronic diseases are not put into practice The first analysis of WHO-recommended policies to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) finds that implementation is slowly improving, but on average just over half get no further than being endorsed, according to results from 151 countries published in The Lancet Global Health journal. The current study is the first to analyse what progress was made in putting 18 policies into practice worldwide between 2015 and 2017.
	Peanut allergy vaccine to rewrite the immune system Peanut allergies could become a thing of the past as breakthrough research from the University of South Australia develops a radically novel vaccination that's poised to cure the potentially life threatening condition.
Flesh-eating bacteria linked to heroin kills 7 in California A flesh-eating bacteria linked to the use of black tar heroin has killed at least seven people over the past two months in the San Diego area, prompting health authorities to alert law enforcement and other officials in California.
	Japan launches human trial of new Ebola vaccine Japanese scientists will begin the country's first human trial for a new vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus this month, they said Friday.
	Domestic abuse survivors twice at risk of long-term illnesses Female survivors of domestic abuse are at double the risk of developing long-term illnesses that cause widespread bodily pain and extreme tiredness, shows a study by the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick.
	Acupuncture reduces radiation-induced dry mouth for cancer patients After receiving acupuncture treatment three days a week during the course of radiation treatment, head and neck cancer patients experienced less dry mouth, according to study results from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Snake venom study reveals troubling shortcomings in antivenom therapy in India Commercially available antivenoms in India can be ineffective in treating bites from certain medically important neglected snakes, a new study has shown. These snakes are those whose bites are harmful to humans, yet are poorly studied. The study was conducted by scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with their counterparts from the Gerry Martin Project and the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology.
	Limited eating times could be a new way to fight obesity and diabetes People with obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure or high cholesterol are often advised to eat less and move more, but our new research suggests there is now another simple tool to fight off these diseases: restricting your eating time to a daily 10-hour window.
Men and women aren't equal when it comes to concussion Women athletes are twice as likely as men to get concussed—and the effects are more severe. But with research focusing mainly on men, what can we do to make sure women with concussion aren't left behind?
	The psychological benefits of working less The daughter of a friend of mine recently left university and entered the world of work, taking on a temporary office job. At the end of her first week, she phoned home in tears. "It's horrible," she complained to her mother, adding: "There's no time to do anything else. I'm so tired when I get home in the evenings that all I can do is watch TV. And then I have to get up early the next morning and do it all again. If this is what work is like, I don't want to spend my whole life doing it."
	Tendency to correlate uptick in suicides and social media is not backed by data Are smartphones and screen media behind the rise in adolescent suicide and dysphoria—or are economic and parental pressures just as likely contributors?
	BRAF inhibitor shows promising results in pediatric patients with low-grade glioma Dabrafenib (Tafinlar), a BRAF inhibitor approved to treat certain types of adult melanoma, showed activity in pediatric patients with low-grade glioma, according to results published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	Researcher studies how to help stroke survivors function better in everyday life For older adults, a critical part of living independently is being able to drive. When the unthinkable happens, such as a stroke, it can impact people's ability to perform everyday tasks, including driving, walking, and picking up objects. Neha Lodha, an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and director of the Laboratory of Movement Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, is conducting research aimed at understanding the impact of stroke on the tasks that are key to functional independence in old age.
	Maternal antibiotic treatment may harm preemies' lungs New research in mice suggests that exposure to antibiotics before birth may impair lung development in premature infants. The study, the first to explore the gut-lung axis in prematurity, is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology and was chosen as an APSselect article for December.
	Drug oleandrin may be an effective new way to treat HTLV-1 virus, study shows A study led by SMU suggests that oleandrin—a drug derived from the Nerium oleander plant—could prevent the HTLV-1 virus from spreading by targeting a stage of the reproduction process that is not currently targeted by existing drugs.
	Why it can be hard to stop eating even when you're full: Some foods may be designed that way All foods are not created equal. Most are palatable, or tasty to eat, which is helpful because we need to eat to survive. For example, a fresh apple is palatable to most people and provides vital nutrients and calories.
	Hypnobirthing: scant evidence self-hypnosis reduces pain during childbirth The latest celebrity-endorsed health trend is the bizarre-sounding practice of "hypnobirthing". Backed by the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Alba and, reportedly, Kate Middleton, women are using self-hypnosis to help them stay calm and ease pain during labour. Some even use it to replace epidurals and other traditional pain relief methods during childbirth.
	US flu season arrives early, driven by an unexpected virus The U.S. winter flu season is off to its earliest start in more than 15 years.
	Annual reported measles incidence dropped from 2000 to 2018 The annual reported measles incidence decreased from 2000 to 2018, but the number of cases increased from 2016 to 2018, according to research published in the Dec. 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Evidence uncertain whether interventions prevent falls in multiple sclerosis There is uncertainty regarding the effect of exercise and other interventions on the prevention of falls in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review published online Nov. 28 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
	Cleaner air quickly brings big health benefits, study finds When people are breathing cleaner air, their health generally improves—rapidly, in some cases, a new review shows.
	More girls admitted with pediatric multiple sclerosis (HealthDay)—For pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis, there are more admissions among girls and among white children, according to a research letter published in the February 2020 issue of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.
	Measles cases up in the US and globally In a year when measles outbreaks surged in the United States and elsewhere in the world, the number of reported cases around the world for 2019 so far is more than 660,000 cases, a threefold increase over this time last year, according to data released Thursday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
	Bile duct biomarker: Protein found to pinpoint patients with a lethal cancer Biliary tract cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the bile ducts, which transport bile from the liver to the duodenum. While generally rare, these cancers are relatively common in Asian populations. Patients with one form of this cancer, called intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), have very poor outcomes and rarely survive beyond five years after their diagnosis. In a new study, researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have uncovered a protein that may eventually help doctors predict which patients with ICC will have the worst outcomes—and that may someday lead to more effective treatments for ICC.
	Purkinje cell dendrites plasticity and the basis for cerebellar learning In mere milliseconds trillions of chemical reactions ignite signals that travel across the billions of neurons in our brain. As we go through our daily lives and absorb new knowledge these neurons begin to modify themselves and change their signaling properties.
	Infant morbidity decreases with incentive-based prenatal tobacco interventions Colorado is taking a critical step to protect low-income women during their pregnancy through incentive-based smoking cessation interventions. A new study from the Colorado School of Public Health at the Anschutz Medical Campus shows a significant reduction in infant morbidity due to the program.
	Study: Lack of psychological support for those dealing with infertility in the UK Psychological support for those dealing with infertility and its treatment is received by only just half of those who want it in the U.K.—with many left to suffer with anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts, according to a new study published in Human Fertility.
	Why people buy, trade, donate medications on the black market Altruism and a lack of access and affordability are three reasons why people with chronic illnesses are turning to the "black market" for medicines and supplies, new research shows. Scientists at University of Utah Health and University of Colorado ran surveys to understand why individuals are looking beyond pharmacies and medical equipment companies to meet essential needs. The reasons listed were many but centered on a single theme: traditional healthcare is failing them.
	Officials list pot vape brands reported in US outbreak Health officials investigating a nationwide outbreak of vaping illnesses have listed, for the first time, the vape brands most commonly linked to hospitalizations.
	Study confirms new prognostic markers for triple negative breast cancer Physicians who treat patients with triple negative breast cancer have two new ways to predict which patients may benefit most from the well-established post-surgery treatment known as AC chemotherapy, short for adjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide.
	How designing hospitals for Indigenous people might benefit everyone Last year, New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzard proposed segregated Indigenous waiting areas in the emergency departments of the state's public hospitals.
	Genetically engineered animals offer fresh hope to heart valve patients Scientists have cloned a genetically engineered bull which they hope will help heart valve transplant patients lead better quality lives and benefit people with red meat allergies.

Biology news

	'Conductor' gene found in plant root stem cell 'orchestra' In a new paper, researchers at North Carolina State University lift the veil on the "conductor" plant root stem cell gene that helps orchestrate and coordinate stem cell division of different root stem cell types, ensuring the harmonic communication necessary for plant growth and maintenance.
	The surprising individuality of microRNAs In order for the instructions contained within a gene to ultimately execute some function in the body, the nucleotides, or letters, that make up the gene's DNA sequence must be "read" and used to produce a messenger RNA (mRNA). This mRNA must then be translated into a functional protein. A number of different pathways within the cell influence this essential biological process, informing whether, when, and to what extent a gene is expressed. A major class of such regulators are microRNAs (miRNAs). These minute RNAs—they are, on average, 22 nucleotides long—join with a protein called Argonaute to cause certain mRNAs to be degraded, which in turn decreases the amount of translation of those mRNAs into their functional protein forms. Scientists have identified hundreds of miRNAs that are common amongst mammals and other vertebrate animals, and most mammalian mRNAs are targeted by at least one of these miRNAs—an indication of their pervasive importance to our biology. Accurately predicting how any particular miRNA will affect gene expression in a cell is important for understanding our own biology, and might facilitate the design of therapeutic drugs that affect or utilize miRNAs, but the complexity of the miRNA pathway makes this sort of prediction difficult.
	Study shows first signs of cross-talk between RNA surveillance and silencing systems A recent study by a team of scientists in Korea reveals new findings about how various systems involved in cellular surveillance interact. This research is the first to identify a "cross-talk" molecule between these systems. Because these pathways are involved in fighting toxic cellular or foreign substances, the study has various potential applications in antiviral development, gene therapy, and agriculture.
	Novel bioprinter shows potential to speed tissue engineering The dream of tissue engineering is a computer-controlled manufacturing of complex and functional human tissue for potential organ regeneration or replacement.
	Optical switch illuminates cell development Combining light and a protein linked to cancer, researchers at Princeton University have created a biological switch to conduct an unprecedented exploration of cellular development in the embryo.
	New tool for rapidly analyzing CRISPR edits reveals frequent production of unintended edits Amidst rising hopes for using CRISPR gene editing tools to repair deadly mutations linked to conditions like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease, a study in Communications Biology describes a new innovation that could accelerate this work by rapidly revealing unintended and potentially harmful changes introduced by a gene editing process.
	Breakthrough in battle against invasive plants Plants that can "bounce back" after disturbances like plowing, flooding or drought are the most likely to be "invasive" if they're moved to new parts of the world, scientists say.
	How do you cultivate a healthy plant microbiome? Scientists are homing in on what a healthy human microbiome looks like, mapping the normal bacteria that live in and on the healthy human body. But what about a healthy plant microbiome?
	Island 'soundscapes' show potential for evaluating recovery of nesting seabirds Nocturnal seabirds nesting on remote islands can be extremely difficult to study. An increasingly important tool for monitoring these populations involves acoustic sensors deployed in the field to record sounds over long periods of time. But analysis of the resulting recordings to identify and count the calls of different species can be time-consuming, even with computers and artificial intelligence.
	Dial-a-frog: Researchers develop the 'FrogPhone' to remotely call frogs in the wild Researchers have developed the 'FrogPhone', a novel device which allows scientists to call up a frog survey site and monitor them in the wild. The FrogPhone is the world's first solar-powered remote survey device that relays environmental data to the observer via text messages, whilst conducting real-time remote acoustic surveys over the phone. These findings are presented in the British Ecological Society Journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution today.
	Pioneering research gives fresh insight into one of the pivotal building blocks of life The quest to better understand how genomic information is read has taken a new step forward, thanks to pioneering new research.
	Novel way to ID disease-resistance genes in chocolate-producing trees found Chocolate-producing cacao trees that are resistant to a major pathogen were identified by an international team of plant geneticists. The findings point the way for plant breeders to develop trees that are tolerant of the disease.
	Team finds link between vitamin A and brain response in Monarch butterflies Biologists at Texas A&M University are making strides in understanding biological clock function in several model organisms and translating these studies into broader implications for human health.
	Weak Arctic ice sees 56 polar bears descend on Russian village More than 50 polar bears have gathered on the edge of a village in Russia's far north, environmentalists and residents said, as weak Arctic ice leaves them unable to roam.
	A 6,000-year-old fruit fly gave the world modern cheeses and yogurts Historians often trace the dawn of human civilization back 10,000 years, when Neolithic tribes first settled and began farming in the Fertile Crescent, which stretches through much of what we now call the Middle East. Prehistoric peoples domesticated plants to create the cereal crops we still grow today, and in the Zagros mountains of Iran, Iraq and Turkey, sheep, goats and cows were bred from their wild relatives to ensure a steady supply of meat and milk. But around the same time as plants and animals were tamed for agriculture, long before anyone even knew of microscopic life, early humans were domesticating microbes too.
	The genome and transcriptome of the parasitic plant Striga sequenced The genome of the parasitic plant Striga, commonly known as witchweed, has been sequenced for the first time by RIKEN plant geneticists. This genetic analysis both offers insights into how parasitic plants evolved and a tool for improving the monitoring and control of the costly weed.
	How a bacteria digests a sugar can be key to new treatments The severity of a common and often lethal type of bacteria depends on its ability to process a type of sugar, research from the University of Adelaide reveals.
	China's failed gene-edited baby experiment proves we're not ready for human embryo modification More than a year ago, the world was shocked by Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui's attempt to use CRISPR technology to modify human embryos and make them resistant to HIV, which led to the birth of twins Lulu and Nana.
	Seahorse breeding project aims to recover endangered species from near extinction Following a dramatic decline in numbers over the past decade, White's seahorse, also known as the Sydney seahorse, has recently been listed as an endangered species in NSW. It is now Australia's only threatened seahorse species and the second endangered seahorse species worldwide.
	Discovery of genes involved in the biosynthesis of antidepressant St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an ancient medicinal plant. It is known for the mild antidepressant properties of its bioactive compound hypericin, which is produced in the dark glands of the plant. By investigating the flowers of St. John's Wort, researchers identified genes involved in dark gland development and the biosynthesis of hypericin. The findings were published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.
	Genetic typing of a bacterium with biotechnological potential Pseudomonas putida is a bacterium occuring in soil, aquatic environments and plants. Although the virulence of Pseudomonas p.—the ability of the bacterium to infect its host and inflict a disease—is considered to be low, infection in severely ill patients can be lethal. P. putida strains (also called isolates) have been found in hospitals, e.g. in urine, blood or wound discharge from patients, and such clinical isolates have been found to display resistance to drugs. Now, Kohei Ogura from Kanazawa University and colleagues have performed gene sequencing for various P. putida isolates originating from both environmental and clinical sites.
	Discovery of a new protein gives insight into a long-standing plant immunity mystery When a plant senses an invading pathogen, it activates a molecular signaling cascade that switch on its defense mechanisms. One such mechanism involves sacrificing host cells to the pathogen. This is a tightly controlled process that involves the work of plant proteins to ensure that the sacrificial cells are only killed if the pathogen is attacking. This process, called the cell death response, ensures that only a few host cells die.
	Bacteria, fungus combo can help crops fight salty conditions Researchers at Florida International University have found coating seeds with a fungus and a bacterium could help valuable crops block the one-two punch of saltier groundwater and soil.
	US tweaks restrictions on 'cyanide bomb' anti-predator devices The US announced slightly stricter rules Thursday on the use of devices called "cyanide bombs," which are meant to protect livestock from wild predators, after the government reinstated their use in August.
	The Coastal Communities Network – a force for nature At Fauna & Flora International (FFI) we strongly believe that the people best placed to protect biodiversity—and the resources it provides—are those who live closest to it. That's why we put particular emphasis on supporting in-country organizations and investing in their capacity for conservation. Our work with coastal communities is no exception.

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