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9 votes
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‘We’re hemorrhaging money’: US health clinics try to stay open after unprecedented cyberattack
31 votes -
What it takes to manufacture 3D printers in Europe
13 votes -
We might need to say goodbye to the global ‘conveyor belt’ based on free passage through peaceful waters
24 votes -
Red Sea attacks halt Tesla production at German plant
10 votes -
The economic secret hidden in a tiny, discontinued pasta
46 votes -
In Slovakia, electric vehicles are jeopardizing a successful car industry
10 votes -
The secret weapon [leaked credit data] hackers can use to dox nearly anyone in America for $15
32 votes -
Ørsted shares fall 25% after it reveals troubles in US business – £7bn wiped off value of world's largest offshore wind company over possible £1.8bn write-down
8 votes -
US President Joe Biden's IRA shuts Africa out of critical minerals supply chains
6 votes -
IAMA 3rd year Ph.D. student researching the cell biology of the Rice Blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, and preparing for my candidacy qualifying exam. AMA.
Hi Tilders! I am new here, but my experience with the community thus far has encouraged me to post an AMA. I've specifically decided to post this AMA in ~talk rather than ~science for more...
Hi Tilders! I am new here, but my experience with the community thus far has encouraged me to post an AMA. I've specifically decided to post this AMA in ~talk rather than ~science for more exposure, and because I am hoping to field questions ranging from scientifically well-read to less-read, technical to curious, why care to who cares, and everything in between.
I won't be posting "verifying proof", because like many of you, I love my anonymity here. However, I will include peer-reviewed citations to question answers when I feel it necessary. I will do my best to share free-access articles, but this won't always be possible. If I link an article of interest to you that is paid-access, message me; maybe, I may be able to get a copy to you. Also, please be patient for my replies. Even though it is summer where I am, I am still busy in the lab and thoughtful responses take time.
Here is a brief background on the Rice Blast fungus to help get the conversation started:
Rice is an important staple food consumed by nearly half of the global population Khush. 2005. From 10 - 30% of the annual rice harvest is lost to disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, which is enough rice to feed greater than 60 million people Skamnioti and Gurr. 2009. To cause infection, a three-celled asexual spore called a conidium attaches to the rice plant's leaves, stems, and even roots. Once attached, a germ tube emerges from one of the three cells and grows along the surface of the plant. Hydrophobic molecules on the plant surface, called hydrophobins, induce a developmental change in the growing germ tube. The growing germ tube tip begins to form a dome-shaped structure called the appressorium. This specialized structure swells and generates up to 80 Mpa of pressure, enough to penetrate kevlar. A penetration peg penetrates the plant cell tissue, and bulbous invasive hyphae colonize the plant cell tissue. The fungus keeps the invaded plant cell alive, while it consumes its nutrients, with the plant cell dying only when the invading growth moves to an adjacent cell Cruz-Mireles et al. 2021. Schematic.
The Rice Blast research community focuses on all stages of its development. My work is focused on nuclear division during different developmental stages, and I am specifically working on understanding which and how motor proteins are involved in nuclear division in this fungus. Understanding the nuclear dynamics and the involved machinery will hopefully open avenues for controlling the plant infection and reducing the global crop loss.
I hope you all find Rice Blast interesting, and I hope I will be able to answer many interesting questions!
40 votes -
Digging into India's drive to acquire critical minerals
5 votes -
US truckers flooded the market during Covid. Now they struggle to pay their bills.
24 votes -
Big Meat just can’t quit antibiotics
22 votes -
SolarWinds: The untold story of the boldest supply-chain hack ever
7 votes -
IKEA is using more wood from Sweden and the Baltics to make up for not sourcing it from Russia and Belarus, which the company has shunned due to Moscow's war in Ukraine
4 votes -
Lithium company Ioneer scores $700 million conditional loan from Energy Department for Nevada plant
4 votes -
Child workers found throughout Hyundai-Kia supply chain in Alabama
8 votes -
For months, mustard has been tough to find on grocery store shelves in Europe. It's a combination of geopolitical instability and wild temperatures.
4 votes -
The story of VaccinateCA
4 votes -
Apple makes plans to move production out of China
14 votes -
The factory that only builds white Toyota Land Cruisers
8 votes -
How shipping containers took over the world (then broke it)
3 votes -
Can software simplify the supply chain? Ryan Petersen thinks so
6 votes -
Extreme China heatwave could lead to global chaos and food shortages
19 votes -
Why there's no 'Dijon' in Dijon mustard
8 votes -
Can Finland and Sweden help decarbonize EU economies? Geopolitical realities and pandemic-related supply chain issues are increasing the pressure on EU
4 votes -
Plastic (and payments) in the fantasy supply chain
3 votes -
The fraud supply chain
7 votes -
ASML reports fire at its Berlin factory
3 votes -
Fixing a tiny corner of the supply chain
9 votes -
The warehouse shortage in the US
3 votes -
Steam Deck launch delayed due to supply chain issues, now expected to start shipping in February 2022
22 votes -
IKEA furniture and homeware prices are to rise as a result of lasting disruption to its supply chain – increased cost of raw materials knocked its full-year profits
5 votes -
Restrictive Californian zoning laws worsened the supply chain crisis
8 votes -
Why everything is suddenly getting more expensive — and why it won’t stop
8 votes -
America’s cash glut
4 votes -
Inside America’s broken supply chain
4 votes -
Behind shipping delays and soaring prices are workers still at mortal risk of COVID-19
8 votes -
What shortages have you noticed recently?
I've been sharing articles about supply chain issues for a while. Today I happened to see a twitter thread describing various shortages people have noticed. I thought it would be interesting to...
I've been sharing articles about supply chain issues for a while. Today I happened to see a twitter thread describing various shortages people have noticed. I thought it would be interesting to ask what shortages you've seen in your part of the world and how they've affected you? (That is, things that you can normally buy but are in short supply.)
27 votes -
Why the global chip shortage is making it so hard to buy a PS5
8 votes -
McDonald’s runs out of milkshakes amid ‘supply chain issues’ in UK
11 votes -
Printer jam: Serious supply issues disrupt the book industry’s 2020 fall season
4 votes -
Cape Cod businesses struggle to find T-shirts, hats amid shortage
3 votes -
Why there are now so many shortages (It's not COVID)
5 votes -
The world economy is suddenly running low on everything
13 votes -
The chip shortage keeps getting worse. Why can't we just make more?
19 votes -
The current chip and semiconductor shortage
7 votes -
How blackouts, fires, and a pandemic are driving shortages of pipette tips — and hobbling science
5 votes -
Supply bottlenecks leave dozens of container ships anchored off California coast
7 votes