Cas12a (Cpf1) is an RNA-guided endonuclease in the bacterial type V-A CRISPR-Cas anti-phage immune system that can be repurposed for genome editing. Cas12a can bind and cut dsDNA targets with high specificity in vivo, making it an ideal candidate for expanding the arsenal of enzymes used in precise genome editing. However, this reported high specificity contradicts Cas12a's natural role as an immune effector against rapidly evolving phages. Here, we employed high-throughput in vitro cleavage assays to determine and compare the native cleavage specificities and activities of three different natural Cas12a orthologs (FnCas12a, LbCas12a, and AsCas12a). Surprisingly, we observed pervasive sequence-specific nicking of randomized target libraries, with strong nicking of DNA sequences containing up to four mismatches in the Cas12a-targeted DNA-RNA hybrid sequences. We also found that these nicking and cleavage activities depend on mismatch type and position and vary with Cas12a ortholog and CRISPR RNA sequence. Our analysis further revealed robust nonspecific nicking of dsDNA when Cas12a is activated by binding to a target DNA. Together, our findings reveal that Cas12a has multiple nicking activities against dsDNA substrates and that these activities vary among different Cas12a orthologs.

Researchers have predicted that if climate change goes unabated, the planet will experience intolerable heat in several decades. But a new study has found that in certain global hot spots, it's already happening.

Travel bans, border closures, and other migration management tools did not prove effective at blocking COVID-19 from spreading across international borders. Yet as governments have shifted from containment to mitigation with the coronavirus now in community transmission in many countries, these restrictions are a logical part of the policy toolkit in the context of social distancing and restricting all forms of human movement, as this commentary explores.

A $484 billion coronavirus relief bill passed Congress April 23, and will provide additional funds to the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans as well as the Economic Injury Disaster loan advances.

A microbe found in mosquitoes that appears to block malaria could be used to control spread of the disease in humans, according to researchers in Kenya and Britain.

The readers of School Psychologist Blog Files were asked in February to share their own experiences and to vote on a poll "How do you feel about the level of education the school provides your child." It's important to understand that everyone's experience is unique. The readers come from different states, different school systems, and different grade levels. Laws and standards vary somewhat between states. Within any state, there are schools that do a better job suiting the needs of children than others. Within any school system, there are those star schools, and the schools that need more attention. Even within the best schools, there are still going to be individuals who have negative experiences. Within the worst schools, there will be those who have positive experiences. Regardless of your school or your situation, I believe that the readers of this blog care deeply about their child's education and have strong emotions about the education (positive or negative.)

The most popular response was "I generally feel good about the level of education, but have some complaints." I was glad to see that many of you are mostly satisfied. I hope that continues throughout your children's school career. Stay involved, speak up when needed, and compliment those who deserve it.

There was a strong outcry from those who endorsed "I feel as if the school is not supportive and I feel as though I am constantly fighting for his or her rights." This was the second most popular answer. While many feel comfortable with their schools, there are many parents out there who have the unsettling feeling of sending their child to a place they do not feel good about. Many of the readers are feeling that getting appropriate services only comes with a fight. Some of you are not having good experiences. I hope that you are able to find some support and insight here from others.

A few of you feel very thankful for the high level of education that your child is receiving. I am thankful to hear that some of the parents here feel exceptionally good about their child's school. Know this is a blessing that many others do not have.

Feel free to share your comments about experiences and offer some insight to others who may have similar experiences.

Damage from a natural disaster in one place can spread globally due to urban trade networks, a Yale study said Monday.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Schwartz and other celebrities read text messages from their mothers on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in honor of Mother's Day.

"Community" creator Dan Harmon and cast members Joel McHale, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong will perform a table read and Q&A for charity.

A modern flavour twist on an old favourite. Enjoy!

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, courtesy of Phillippa Grogan. Phillippa's latest book is "Phillippa's Home Baking".

700g minced lamb 30g pine nuts, roughly chopped 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1/2 onion, diced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) zest of 1/2 lemon pinch of salt and pepper 3 tbsp. oil Lemon Flatbread 1 cup plain flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 3/4 cup plain yoghurt zest of 1/2 lemon

Our Indian chef whips these delicious naan breads up for us every day to go with her chicken tikka and vegetarian curries Brushed with garlic butter as they come out of the stone oven, they are quite a treat (thats why she has to make so many everyday.....)Thanks Nancylt;i>f

170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour 170g/6oz plain flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 290ml/1/2 pint buttermilk

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive at 3.30PM. It was shared by Phillippa Grogan, adapted from Phillippa's Home Baking written with Richard Cornish.

Since the beginning, Inoreader was meant to be a power-user tool, pushing the boundaries of what RSS readers can do.…

You have mail! Inoreader now allows you to subscribe to Email Newsletters just as regular RSS feeds. By creating a…

Hey, it’s been quite some time without updates on this front, but our latest updates to our Android and iOS…

Everyone is concerned as the novel Coronavirus spreads at rapid rates across all countries of the world. We believe every…

Have you ever tried to convince somebody to start using an RSS reader, only to hear back from them something…

So, you wanted to follow this nice website for new content, but it doesn’t have an RSS feed yet? Don’t…

Did you know you can subscribe to YouTube channels and playlist in Inoreader? Simply paste the URL of the channel…

I know that many of you are bored and horny right now during this lockdown and quarantine period, so allow me to recommend some of my favorite sex books! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably already seen a few of my recommendations, but here’s a more extensive reading list.

What do people want to know about sex? Here's are the ten most read question-and-answer features of all time on the blog. These questions (all submitted by readers of Sex and Psychology) span a wide range of topics. Many of them fall under the category of “What’s normal when it comes to sex?” However, others reflect curiosity about diverse sexual practices, as well as interest in better understanding what's safe when it comes to sex.

SOCIETY FOR JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING NEWSLETTER The quarterly Society for Judgment and Decision Making newsletter is available for download from the SJDM site: http://sjdm.org/newsletters/ It features announcements, conferences, jobs, and the 2019 Conference program. See y’all in Montreal (nobody ever says that but the 2019 SJDM meeting will take place in Montreal, November 15-18, […]

The post SJDM Newsletter is ready for download appeared first on Decision Science News.

STANDARD ERRORS VS STANDARD DEVIATIONS Click to enlarge There’s an ancient haiku that goes: People confuse a well-estimated mean with a certain outcome Ok, that’s not true. But Jake Hofman, Dan Goldstein, and Jessica Hullman have a new paper (recently accepted at CHI 2020) about this. They bet you’ll think the results of their paper […]

The post How visualizing inferential uncertainty can mislead readers about treatment effects in scientific results appeared first on Decision Science News.

Thousands of North Carolina teachers will take leave on May 16 to protest at the state capitol, forcing some school districts to close.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

There are six areas of key work ahead, write John P. Bailey and Frederick M. Hess.

Students and adults in the school community will all need more support when schools reopen, writes the head of the National Association of School Psychologists.

Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in pre- and post-trial correctional facilities across the United States, and the challenges of social distancing for students in regular districts are all massively compounded for students behind bars.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

New York state is considering adopting a new set of K-12 reading and math standards that differ somewhat from the Common Core State Standards, which have had rocky reception in the state since they went into place in 2010.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

The Tennessee department of education is proposing unsually comprehensive legislation that will require all current and new K-3 teachers, and those who train them, to know evidence-based reading instruction.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

There are six areas of key work ahead, write John P. Bailey and Frederick M. Hess.

Students and adults in the school community will all need more support when schools reopen, writes the head of the National Association of School Psychologists.

Already, some educators and prominent education advocates have entered their names into the running for of the many 2018 state races around the country where education policy is likely to be a hot topic.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

Worried that far too many students have weak reading skills, states are passing new laws that require aspiring teachers—and, increasingly, teachers who are already in the classroom—to master reading instruction that’s solidly grounded in research.

Many states have recently enacted laws or rules designed to ensure that teachers are well versed in evidence-based reading instruction. Here are some highlights.

English fiction -- 18th century -- History and criticism.

Wildlife conservation -- Australia.

Textile fabrics.

Board games -- Social aspects.