Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered a new function in a plant enzyme that could help in designing new chemical catalysts. The enzyme catalyzes, or initiates, one of the cornerstone chemical reactions needed to synthesize organic molecules, including those found in lubricants, cosmetics, and those used as raw materials for making plastics.

Plants employ sophisticated molecular machineries to fine-tune their responses to growth, developmental, and stress cues. Plants cellular response influences gene expression through regulating processes like transcription and splicing. To increase the genome coding potential and further regulate the expression, pre-mRNA is alternatively spliced. Serine/Arginine-rich (SR) proteins, a family of pre-mRNA splicing factors, recognize splicing cis-elements and regulate both constitutive and alternative splicing.

Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) under its program on Asia Pacific Consortium on Agricultural Biotechnology and Bioresources (APCoAB) released the Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Underutilized Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) and their Amelioration which was held on March 4-6, 2019 at MARDI Malaysia. Over 60 participants from 14 countries of the region attended the workshop, which provided a platform for sharing experiences and knowledge relating to underutilized AnGR of Asia-Pacific that have food and nutritional value.

Mr. Phạm Thành Nhân, Dong Thap Muoi Research and Development Centre, leaving for IRRI, the Philippines, to join the three-month training course by IRRI from  November 13, 2019 to January 21, 2020

Mr. Li Jianqiang (Director), Ms. Feng Chunmei (Technical Director), Mr. Tan Yewei (Business Manager) - Subtropical  Crop Research Institute, QuangXi, China, paid a short visit how to cooperate with the IAS about crop production and consumption, November 12, 2019.

1. "Bentonite Study on Sandy Soils"
2. "Herbicides' Research Highlight"

The GDP growth of 7.08 per cent in 2018 is an impressive figure ($US 2,587 per capita); despite slowing global trade due to geopolitical tensions and the US-China trade war. The Vietnamese economy continued to record a variety of notable achievements. Vietnam’s macroeconomic foundations were maintained, with inflation contained at 3.6% and core inflation remaining stable below 1.5%, while major balances of the economy were guaranteed.