By Ana S. Iltis, Grace Koster, Emily Reeves & Kirstin R. W. Matthews

Abstract

Recent advances in methods to culture…

A journal article explores mothers’ perceptions of the importance of health and health care during pregnancy and postpartum and their preferences for communication from a community-based service program.

The authors examine a proposal for new human embryo and embryoid guidelines, writing that before conducting any research beyond day 14, scientists must develop clear, thoughtful and culturally sensitive guidelines that include limitations and oversight procedures to ensure that science responds to societal needs and values.

This journal article explores why the public and stakeholders should help develop guidelines and policies governing scientific practices for controversial biomedical research issues, such as genetically editing human embryos.

It now seems technically feasible to culture human embryos beyond the “fourteen‐day limit,” which has the potential to increase scientific understanding of human development and perhaps improve infertility treatments. Robust stakeholder engagement preceded adoption of the fourteen‐day limit and should arguably be part of efforts to reassess it, write the authors.

The authors' combined statistical and economic models on specific aspects and properties of biochar will be useful for future field experiment proposals, farmers purchasing biochar, and decision-makers working to incentivize agricultural advances. In GCB-Bioenergy, October 8, 2020, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcbb.12765

Analysis of a survey conducted by the authors found that prosocial behavior plays an important role in an individual’s ability to engage in health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity, despite adverse conditions. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, Aug. 13, 2020.

The authors investigate the relationship between the number of freestanding emergency departments entering a local market and overall spending on emergency care. Academic Emergency Medicine: http://bit.ly/2pGwYMw

Gene editing in humans raises ethical and safety issues that require further discussion to identify a responsible way forward.

The authors examine the role that government policy can play in accelerating production and use of biochar at commercial scale, such as providing commercial financial incentives, nonfinancial policy support and research and development funding. The article also includes broad recommendations for the development of policy that maximizes the net benefits of biochar adoption.